


What Will the Future Hold, Part I

by fems



Series: Future Series [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: 2011 GateFic Award, AU, Angst, Divergence Fic, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family, Graphic Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Language, Romance, Season 8, UST, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-01
Updated: 2010-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-02 00:09:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 141,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/362832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fems/pseuds/fems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It should be the happiest time of Lt Col Samantha Carter’s life.  She routinely explores alien worlds and is engaged to Detective Pete Shanahan the man who promised her what she craves — a normal life.  But it causes friction between her and the other people in her life — especially between her and a certain general.</p><p>The friction increases when the shadowed past of Brig Gen Jack O’Neill intrudes in their lives. Ilse Lindeman might be from his past but she is all too present in the present. In the covert world they inhabit Ilse’s knowledge of the SGC and the base commander is all too unsettling for Sam.  </p><p>As the tension brings change to Jack and Sam’s relationship, Sam must decide how badly she wants a normal life. When does making compromises turn into compromising who you are? Will their actions bring them closer together or drive them further apart?  Their choices do not only affect their lives but also that of those closest to them.</p><p> </p><p>  <img/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> The story originally has 80 chapters but I've decided to split it in two here since there's a two-year gap in the middle.

"Walter, how long are they overdue?"

"Just under half an hour, Sir," Walter sighed. "That's perfectly normal for SG1, Sir." Hell, he should know! Walter couldn't recall all the times General O'Neill – then-Colonel O'Neill – caused General Hammond stress by being overdue. He could, however, recall all the times SG1 was actually on schedule. And that's saying a lot for a span of seven years.

"Hmpf… fine, I will be in my office doing  _paperwork_ ," Jack sighed. It was ridiculous that he was stressing because they were late. They were always late! He should probably worry if they got here on schedule. But, he thought, Carter is punctual. That's a fact, just like she is the smartest person on the planet who has to provide the Asgard with 'stupid' ideas to save their little gray butts and like the way she's a neat freak with the tendency to OCD by sorting everything by alphabet or color. Or both, if she could have it her way. They would be here any minute now and they would be  _fine_!

Jack ran up the stairs to his office and sat back on his chair. Like hell Hammond was getting this chair back, this chair was way too comfy.  _I'll just order a new one and send him that one, if he insists on getting his chair back._ The seven years Hammond was sitting in this chair – with the exception of General Bauer and Dr. Weir, but their butts probably helped shape it as well, God  _so_  not going there – was definitely doing good things for the leather. Jack grabbed one of the files from the huge pile Sgt. Harriman was torturing him with and got to work.

"Unauthorized off-world activation!" The alarm was loud and interrupted Jack's work. He looked up and saw that he had been reading the same report for over fifteen minutes.  _Damn that Dr. Lee for writing so much and saying nothing!_  Jack threw the report to the side and ran down to the control room.

"It's SG1, Sir," Walter informed him.

"Open the iris," Jack barked.

The iris opened slowly and immediately the blue puddle rippled to give form to two humans and a Jaffa. Jack squinted, but couldn't see any life threatening injuries. "You're late, SG1."

"Yes Sir," Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter said, looking up to the control room. "There was a slight problem with our equipment; static interference from the atmosphere would be my best guess, Sir."

"Fine, you go to the infirmary and get checked out. Debrief in two hours."

* * *

"You're all clear, Colonel."

Sam nodded to the Doc and went to the locker room. She  _so_  needed a shower! Being a military brat her entire life, she was done within five minutes. She quickly put on some clean BDUs, ran a comb through her hair and went to her lab. She was already typing her mission report when Daniel and Teal'c came looking for her.

"Sam, are you coming to grab a bite?"

"Sure Daniel," she said after glancing at the clock. They still had forty minutes before the debrief. Perhaps she should give Pete a call? He knew she was on a mission and could get worried if he didn't hear from her in time. Looking back to her friends, she shrugged at her own thoughts and walked to the commissary with them.

"So, did you guys get the invitation?"

"Err… yes, yes I did," Daniel said uncomfortably. He'd gotten the invitation to the engagement party two days ago. He really didn't like Pete… If he were honest he didn't know anyone who actually liked the guy, except for Sam of course _._ But Sam was one of his best friends, she was like the sister he never had and he would do anything for her! He'd die for her, they all would. They literally went to hell – Netu – and back for her father, not just because Jacob was a Tok'ra or a retired General, but because he was Sam's dad. But he really didn't want to go to this party. He thought she was making a  _huge_  mistake!  _Everyone_  knew that she and Jack belonged together. _Oh God, Jack!_ He'd seen the invitation right before he left his apartment for the briefing and afterwards they had to gear up and they'd only just gotten back, so he hadn't spoken to Jack… did he get the invitation as well? He probably did, but would he  _go_?

It would probably kill him, but… Sam said that he’d practically encouraged her to say 'yes' to Pete's proposal. He doubted that, then again Sam might be a genius – she certainly was smarter than Daniel himself – but when it came to Jack she was downright stupid. According to her Jack had told her he wanted her to be happy. Daniel knew that this was true; Jack loved Sam more than life – he was sure of that, even though his best friend would never admit that – and he wanted her to be happy and right now she said she was happy with Pete. God, he needed to talk to Jack!

"Indeed, Colonel Carter," was Teal'c's response. He disliked the police detective who was unworthy of such a capable warrior, intelligent person and charming woman but Daniel Jackson had told him they were not to interfere. Even after all these years the Tau'ri could still puzzle him. Colonel Carter was his friend and soon she would profess her love for the wrong man in front of her friends and family and spend the rest of her life with him. Yet, he was not allowed to interfere.

"You guys will be there, right? I mean, of course you'll be there, but Pete wants everyone to RSVP so we'll know how many people will be able to make it. But I can just tell him, because I made sure to plan it when we'd have downtime and with our hectic lives we don't have time to RSVP. I mean, you already got the invitation, but probably didn't even have the time for it to register, since we were together for two days and neither of you mentioned it. Let alone that you would think to RSVP," Sam was babbling.

"What is this 'RSVP' you speak of, Colonel Carter?"

"Er… it means that you'll respond to an invitation to let people know that you'll be able to make it."

"I see."

"Yeah, it's an abbreviation from the French 'Repondez s'il vous plait,’ which literally means 'please reply,'" Daniel explained. "Anyways, I've got to go. Still have some time before the debriefing, see you guys there."

"I shall take my leave as well, Master Sergeant Siler asked for my assistance."

* * *

Daniel practically ran to Jack's office and barged in there, without knocking.

"Why Daniel, please do come in," Jack stated sarcastically after seeing it was Daniel who interrupted his reading so rudely.

"Uh… Jack?"

"Daniel?"

"Did you, er… did Sam, uh… did she send you, an ah…"  _God, this is hard. What if she didn't send him an invitation?_

"Daniel? What are you trying to say? Are you trying to ask me gently if Carter sent me an invitation to her shindig?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Well, she did, why?"

He pursed his lips nervously before replying. "We were just eating in the commissary and she asked Teal'c and me if we'd gotten the invitation, because apparently Pete wants everyone to RSVP and I just thought about asking you how you're doing with all of… this."

"I'm fine, Daniel."

"Riiight," he drawled skeptically.

"Daniel."

"Jack."

"Daniel," Jack tried in his General-tone.

"Jack?"

"Dammit Daniel, just leave it alone. I want her to be happy and if that cop makes her happy, then I'm happy for her," he sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"You could still tell her how you feel, Jack."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Daniel."

"Come on Jack,  _everyone_  here knows you love her."

"Well, if  _everyone_  knows it, what's there left to say?"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Daniel silently wondered how his friend had gotten this high up in the military. "She's just scared that you don't feel the same way. You know how she is, she isn't very successful in the romantic department."

"Daniel, she's in love with that cop and she's going to marry him. All I want for her is to be happy."

Daniel sighed; this was going nowhere. Why were his two best friends so stubborn? He'd never met and would probably never meet anyone as stubborn as those two. In the field that's a good quality which had probably saved their asses more than once, but when it comes to love you sometimes have to take a leap of faith. And they would never do that.

"So?"

"So what?"

"So are you going?"

"God… I don't know. I'm certainly not in the mood for it. But if she wants me there, I'll be there. Just don't expect me to be all cheery and happy about it."

"Then I guess I have to go as well…"

"What?"

"I think she's making a mistake. You both are, by denying your feelings. But if you're going then I should too," Daniel elaborated, grimacing.

"Of course you're going; you two are like brother and sister. The science twins, you’re damn right you should be there," Jack groaned. "Now, I think we have a debriefing to attend?"

* * *

"… and that's when the atmospheric interference was first noticed. Of course we have experienced this phenomenon before, but never to this degree. Our radios worked only briefly on the planet, probably because the MALP amplified the signal and when we were out of reach of it, the signal wasn't strong enough. I suspect that-"

"Ack! Bottom line, Carter?"

"Uh… well, Sir," Sam said bemused. "Our GDO wasn't working because the storm came sooner than expected which enhanced the interference. So we couldn't successfully broadcast our signal-"

"Luckily Sam noticed this, because we were about to run through the gate!" Daniel exclaimed. "Therefore, she fixed the GDO so the signal was amplified and standing right in front of the event horizon I was able to send the signal through successfully."

"Thank you, Daniel," Jack said, glad that Daniel had stopped Carter from going off on some techno babble speech. Normally he didn't mind, he loved the sound of her voice even if he didn't understand a word of what she was saying, but today he wasn't in the mood. He was still stressed from the fact that SG1 was overdue, after having two teams come in with severe injuries and one casualty. Not to mention the amounts of paperwork and of course Daniel's interference and reminder of Carter's invitation.

"So that wraps it up?"

"Indeed", Teal'c said solemnly.

"But Sir-"

"Carter, you can put your techno babble in the mission report. You know I have to read it now," he said with a small smile. He'd always read the mission reports and the pre-briefing reports and even his memos, he just liked to play ignorant. And to fool people by playing dumb, because it was a great excuse for not being prepared.

"Oh, one more thing: we're all going to Washington in two and a half days," he said with his nose scrunched up.

"Why?"

"Because I said so, Daniel."

"O'Neill, why is my presence required? Would I not be more helpful at Stargate Command by helping one of the other SG teams? Or perhaps sparring with the recruits?"

"Nice one, T. But no, we all have to go. Carter and Dr. Lee have to be there for the science department, Daniel for the archeology/linguistic department and you because you have requested several purchases for the gym and training sessions. But I think it's more about the off-world training sessions than the purchases. And I have to be there to explain the rest of the money. They wanted Reynolds as well, but I kindly reminded them there should actually be someone here to run the SGC in our absence. Walter will email you with the details." Jack waved his hand to let them know the briefing was over and they could leave. And he could go back to his paperwork. _Great_!


	2. In the Confines of Her Home

Sam got out of her car and made her way into her house, belatedly realizing she didn’t have anything in the fridge and had to do some grocery shopping. She went over to the phone, only to see that she had two missed messages.

_“Hey Sam, it’s me, Pete. I was just wondering if you’d gotten back already. Oh and I haven’t gotten any RSVPs from your invitations, except from Mark. So do you think they’ll come and the RSVPs just haven’t gotten here yet or are they too busy? I love you, babe!”_

She hated it when he called her ‘babe’. Maybe it was because she was a military brat and had lived in a men’s world her entire adult life, but she hated those corny nicknames people all seemed to develop when they were in love. And it made her think of that pig from the movie.

_“Hey babe, it’s me again. Call me when you get back. My mother wants to ask you some questions about the party and she said something about the wedding. Love you!”_

She didn’t like his mother. But that was normal right? Didn’t everyone always joke about their in-laws? Especially their mother-in-law? Yes, this was a good thing. It was _normal_. And it’s not like she had that much experience with in-laws. Before Jonas she’d never had a serious relationship and she never even met his parents because they were estranged. _Can’t really blame them…_ After Jonas she didn’t have a lot of boyfriends. None, actually. Lovers yes, but nothing more serious. Well, there was Orlin, but he used to be an ascended being who descended only to ascend again. And they weren’t that serious.

Narim was infatuated with her and she’d really liked him. Hell, they’d kissed before Daniel had so rudely interrupted; that guy has the worst timing ever! Later on, she still liked Narim, but by then her feelings for Jack O’Neill were growing stronger as well. Then there was Martouf, but that relationship was just weird! Even for her. She loved him and yet she didn’t. Or maybe she did. Jolinar’s memories confused her. It weren’t just memories she’d left, but also feelings. So Sam had ‘loved’ Martouf even before they’d met. But she really did like him and had thought of him as a good friend, nothing more. Her feelings had never gotten a chance to evolve because Martouf – and his symbiote, Lantash – had died a few years ago. Anyway, those possible love interests had never really been serious and they weren’t even from Earth. God, Martouf’s mom had probably died over a hundred years ago! Orlin used to be an ancient, so his parents were literally ancient, heh! That’s just weird. And Narim never mentioned his parents… So she didn’t have anything to compare it with. She just didn’t like Hilda, Pete’s mother.

She grabbed the phone and called Pete’s cell. He was probably still working. She left him a voicemail, telling him she was fine and that Daniel and Teal’c were coming, even though she just realized they’d never actually agreed to come. She hadn’t asked the General yet. She was afraid it would be awkward. Because of the zatarc testing, leaving it in the room, their conversation on the Prometheus – okay, it was her and her imagination, but still – and the humming in the elevator. _God, that had been so uncomfortable!_ Not to mention the day she told him that Pete had proposed… talk about awkwardness. It had taken her all her courage to ask him about ‘what if things were different?’, only to get his stupid ‘I wouldn’t be here’-answer.

What did that mean? That if things were different Charlie wouldn’t have died, he would still be with Sara and would’ve never joined the SGC? Or that they hadn’t left it in the room? Or maybe he would be dead already? Or she would be? He would’ve retired for her? She would’ve resigned for him? She would’ve never met Pete and so they would never be in that position? _Let it go!_ Sam couldn’t go over this again… and again. She was going to marry Pete! He clearly loves her and the General obviously doesn’t. She couldn’t even say she really loved the General with certainty. Perhaps it was just hero-worshipping and maybe a little infatuation. _You love Pete, remember?_

Sam sighed and let herself fall on the couch. Was she going to call the General to ask him? Maybe she’d do it tomorrow at the SGC. Confirm that he would be there. Yes, now all she needed was food. She ordered Chinese and sorted through her mail. By the time the doorbell rang she was almost famished and ran to the door. Only to see Pete standing there.

“Hi babe!” Pete kissed her and walked inside.

“Pete!” Sam got out her shock, threw a last look over her shoulder to see if there was a delivery boy coming – but unfortunately there wasn’t – and closed the door. She followed Pete to the living room and sat down on the couch next to him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were working?”

“I’m on call. So you’re okay? I figured you’d call me as soon as you’d gotten back and when I didn’t hear anything…”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had to get checked out and then I needed a shower and a clean outfit. Before I knew it I was sitting at my desk writing my report and the guys asked me to grab a late lunch. Then we had the debriefing and after that I could finally go home. I just didn’t have any time to call, sorry.”

“That’s okay, babe, I’m just glad you’re alright. So, did anything interesting happen out there?”

“Pete, you know I can’t tell you.”

“But I’ve got security clearance! You can tell me, Sam.”

She rolled her eyes, once again annoyed with his ever-present questions about her highly classified work. “You have limited clearance, I was allowed to tell you about what I really do and about the situation you were in. But I’m not allowed to tell you anything else, you know that.”

“Fine,” he pouted.

 “It’s not like I don’t want to tell you, but I can’t. You already know more than anyone else outside of the SGC, more than the partners of my colleagues. I thought you would understand, it’s not as if you can tell me anything about the cases you work on!”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Sorry Sam.” He gave her a sloppy kiss when the doorbell rang.

“Chinese”, she mumbled before heading to the door.

 

* * *

“Babe, how ‘bout shutting that thing off, huh?”

Sam looked over to Pete lying beside her. “In a minute, I just have to check my email. I totally forgot when I got home.”

“Can’t it wait ‘till tomorrow? There are a lot more interesting, not to say satisfying, things we could be doing right now,” Pete murmured, before sliding the strap of her camisole off her shoulder.

“No, it can’t wait. The General said we were to expect an email with details about Washington,” Sam said while brushing his hand off of her.

“Washington?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“No, Sam you didn’t.”

“Oh, well we are going to DC in two days.”

“Really? Why?”

“I’m not sure yet, but since the General said I was to come for the science department, I’m thinking it’s about the budget. We’ll probably have to justify our expenses… again.”

“Sounds boring,” Pete murmured.

“It is.”

“So, how long will you be gone? Because I have the rest of the week off.”

“Really?” Sam stared at him incredulous.

“Yes, I told you I was trying to get a few days off. You said you’d too.”

“No, I said there weren’t any missions planned. That usually means that I get to work on my projects.”

“You said you’d have some downtime after today’s mission,” Pete sighed.

“Well, yes, I thought I did. We all did. But now there’s Washington.”

“Great, just great. So I’m stuck here while you’re in DC?”

She shrugged helplessly. “I’m sorry, but you know that’s what it’s like in the military. It’s mostly the same for you and I don’t get all upset if you have to work all of a sudden.”

“Yeah, you’re right. But could you at least give me a key while you’re gone?”

“Uh… right. I’ll have to check, I don’t know if I have a spare. We could make one tomorrow after work?” Sam suggested after seeing his facial expression.

“Sam, everyone has a spare key.”

“Until you give it away,” she said uncomfortably. She knew he wasn’t going to like or understand this.

“What? Who has your spare?”

“Just a few people…”

“More than one? So anyone can come in here?”

She sighed in an exasperated manner and threw him a look. “No, it’s not like that, Pete.”

“Who has a key, Sam?”

“You know… just DanielTeal’cDadandtheGeneral.”

“What, who?”

“Daniel, Teal’c, my dad and the General have a spare key.”

“Why? Why do they have a spare key while your fiancé doesn’t?” He couldn’t believe it! Those guys have her house key? Her father, okay, but her boss? That is just weird! __

“I don’t know. It’s just that my dad isn’t always around when I am, so when I’m off-world and he’s visiting he can at least go here instead of being holed up in base.” That wasn’t completely true, seeing as he still had his apartment here in the Springs but she knew Pete wouldn’t understand… “And the guys have a key in case I’m off-world and they aren’t, so they can do my plants and mail and stuff. And it’s easier if I’m injured, then I don’t have to get up to open the door.”

“I can understand that your team has your key…” He didn’t really and still thought it was strange, but he didn’t want to fight over this. Not now, at least.“…but why does your boss have your key?”

“You mean the General? Well, he used to be the Colonel and was on my team. In fact, he’s still a part of the team, even if he’s not on the team anymore. And we’re friends. We’re all friends, family even. I’d rather leave my key with them than with one of my neighbors who I don’t even know,” Sam patiently explained, feeling awkward over having to justify her actions to him.

“Fine, whatever. Now can you shut off your laptop?”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah, looks like I have a briefing tomorrow and I’ll probably be gone for two days. I can tell you more tomorrow.”

“Wasn’t that when the General was having a barbeque?”

“What? I don’t remember anything about General O’Neill throwing a-“

“General Hammond, remember? He invited us two weeks ago? That’s one of the reasons I have a few days off starting tomorrow, you asked me if I wanted to come with?” Pete asked her incredulous. She’d forgotten?

“Oh, right! I didn’t realize that was tomorrow already.” Sam shut off her laptop and turned off the lamp on her nightstand. Pete immediately scooted over to her en put his hands on her stomach. “Pete…”

_Beep, beep, beep!_

“Oh shit!” Pete exclaimed, before grabbing his pager. He grabbed his cell phone to call his work. “Sorry babe, I’ve got to go. I hate being on call. Hopefully it won’t take long…”

Sam responded to his kiss and waved her hand as he ran out of the bedroom. Well, at least now she didn’t have to tell him she wasn’t in the mood, she thought as she lay back and went to sleep.

* * *

“Are you busy?”

Sam’s head shot up hearing his voice and she automatically straightened from the hunched position over her desk. She shook her head as he walked in to her lab. Steadying the tool in her hand, leaning back on the table and trying to finish the rerouting of the power for the alien device, she heard him walk around her desk, stopping behind her.

He leaned over her shoulder, pretending to study the device. “So, what does it do?” He whispered.

His breath on her cheek and his soft whisper sent a tingle down her spine and she shuddered. He was standing right behind her, making her very aware of his presence. Sam breathed in deep through her nose, trying to maintain her self-control but instead she breathed in his scent. His delicious scent. If she were sitting on a stool, she probably would’ve fallen off the moment he rested his hands on her shoulders. With all of her machinery on, her lab temperature quickly rose to create a warm atmosphere, which is why she shed her BDU jacket hours ago. Normally that wouldn’t be a bad thing, but now she was standing here in her BDU pants and the standard issued black tank top and his warm hands were on her exposed shoulders. It was as if his body heat was being transferred onto her; she could feel his heat emanating through his clothes and the warmth of his hands was spreading to her cheeks, making her blush furiously. Realizing he was still waiting for an answer she cleared her throat.

“I- I don’t know yet, Sir. That’s what this test is for. I’m trying to reroute the power so that we can turn it on as soon as Daniel has finished his translations.”

“Ah, so that’s what you’re doing, Carter? Rerouting the power?” He asked in an innocent tone, while his hands were slowly sliding down her bare arms, leaving goose bumps in their trails.

“Yes, Sir,” she replied in a raspy voice. Damn that man! But God, his hands felt so good on her arms. _I wonder how they would feel on the rest of my skin? On my hips, tracing my sides, his rough calloused hands on my br-._

“Do you always get this… excited while rerouting power, Carter?” Jack asked in a husky tone, with his hands around both of her wrists, registering her rapid pulse. His thumbs were drawing slow circles on the soft skin of her wrists and he could feel her pulse increasing. His head was still watching over her shoulder, but he decided he could stop pretending to be interested in the machine and turned his head, to whisper in her ear. “Well?”

Sam tried to clear her head, but she couldn’t think straight when he was so close. With his breath tickling her ear. _Were those his lips against my ear?_ She swallowed hard and cleared her throat before speaking.

“Well General, you know how much I enjoy playing with my doohickeys.”

_Was that my own voice? And what the hell am I thinking using such a suggestive tone to a General, a General who happened to be my commanding officer!_ Notto mention that she was downright flirting with him, while being engaged to another man _…_ Sam straightened up at her own thoughts and tried to get her body under control. His hands traveling back up the sensitive skin of her arms weren’t helping in that department.

Jack felt her stiffen momentarily, before straightening. Her pulse was still racing though and her tone was quite suggestive. He breathed in her scent before nuzzling her neck and running his hands up her soft arms. He heard her gasp and shudder and he smirked against her neck. Her skin was so soft; it was like satin over steel muscles. He loved it. A small step forward put her back almost against him and he could feel the flames coming from her body, which only aroused him more. He couldn’t help himself and let his hands slide down her sides, while pressing his lips on her collarbone.

The touch of his lips on her skin made her lightheaded and his hands were leaving a trail of fire on her body, which went directly to her hot core. Sam could feel the gush of wetness soaking her panties. _He didn’t even do anything! It usually takes a whole lot more than a pair of hands on my arms or sides to get me this aroused!_ She bit back a moan when his tongue darted out of his mouth oh so quickly that she was wondering if perhaps she imagined it… without conscious thought she let her head fall back to give him more access to her throat, which he gladly used.

Jack’s hands were resting on her hips when he slid his hands under the hem of the fabric. Just so he could touch her skin, nothing more. Slowly he ran his rough fingertips over the small patch of exposed skin of her stomach, which elicited a low moan from his Colonel. “Really, Carter? Tell me, are there any other toys you enjoy and that make your pulse raise like this?” He whispered in her ear while his hands went lower, over her belt and down the zipper of her BDUs.

Sam couldn’t perform a coherent sentence if her life depended on it, not with his hands on her body. So she just moaned when his fingers trailed down from her abdomen. _God, I’m so wet!_ She wanted him, oh she _so_ wanted him! When he pressed a kiss on the sensitive spot behind her ear she stepped back, pressing her back against his toned chest. She immediately knew he was just as aroused as her when his erection was pressing against her ass. She pressed harder, hearing him breathe in sharp. The next thing she knew one of his hands traveled back to her hip and pulled her closer while he was pressing his hard on further into her. His other hand was still lingering between her belt and where she wanted it most. She finally released the death grip her hands had been having on the desk – her tool had fallen out of her hands ages ago – and laid one on the nape of his neck, while the other covered his hand.

Jack looked up when he felt her hand in his neck, playing with the short hairs in the nape. She looked over her shoulder and her lips were on his before he could move. The kiss was frantic and desperate and was comparable to the one they had exchanged in the locker room years ago. Only this time she didn’t waste any time before forcing his mouth open and thrusting her tongue in.

He tasted even better than she had imagined, better than her memory from all those years ago. Their tongues were dueling for dominance in a passionate kiss. Sam tightened her grip on his hand, rubbed against his erection and moved his hand lower until it cupped her, before she sucked his tongue into her mouth. She heard a moan. _Was that me? Or was it him?_

“What do you want, Carter?” Jack asked after breaking their kiss to breathe. Her grip on his hand got stronger and he felt her heat through her BDU pants, while she leaned back against him completely. He could hear her mutter something incomprehensible and increased the pressure of his hand cupping her.

“God…”, she moaned.

“What was that?”

“Don’t stop, Sir” she complained when he removed his hand and stopped kissing her neck.

“Tell me what you want, Carter,” he groaned, because she was rubbing her tight little ass against his painful erection.

“You, Sir. I want you,” she sighed.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“And what exactly do you want from me, Carter?” He asked mischievous, while cupping her once again. When she didn’t answer he slowly rubbed one of his fingers against her, which made her hips buck.

“I want you to fuck me,” she moaned while grinding against his hand. With a quick movement from her hands, she unbuckled, unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. “Now, Sir.”

He didn’t need her to tell him twice, his hand slipped into her BDUs and he marveled at the wetness from her panties.

“God Carter, your panties are soaked,” he groaned.

“All for you, General. So wet for you,” she panted, while his hand was touching her. “More than ready, Sir.”

Jack continued the ministrations of his lips and tongue on her ear, neck and throat, while his hand pushed her BDU and panties down. He heard her mew when his fingers finally touched her clit and his other hand descended from its place on her hip down to her perfect tight little ass. He rubbed his hand over her soft flesh, both of them almost reeling from the sensations.

“I’m _so_ hot and wet for you, just fuck me,” she almost begged.

“Yes, yes you are,” he whispered, sliding his finger inside of her. “You’re certainly hot and wet, Colonel. Not to mention tight,” he added as he slipped two more fingers inside of her, stretching her and making her yelp from surprise.

She could feel his other hand sliding back up to her hip, while he pressed himself against her. She loved the way his erection was pressing into her flesh, and the friction provided by his BDU against her soft and naked skin was arousing her to no end. His other fingers were thrusting into her fast and hard, while his thumb was flicking and rubbing her clit, making her crazy with desire. Sam didn’t even realize that she was meeting every thrust of her CO’s fingers, with her pants down her thighs in the middle of her lab while he was rubbing his hard on against her. Not until she heard stumbling down the hall and a voice far away. The General heard it too, she guessed after he froze.

“Don’t stop now, I’m so close,” she begged in a whisper. _God, I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in the USAF and I’m begging just to get off. If only the Goa’uld knew this – ‘this’ being Jack fucking me – was all that was needed for me to beg. I would say anything if he just wouldn’t stop._

“Don’t worry, Carter, I’ll make you come. I promise, always,” he whispered while continuing his caresses.

“God yes, yes, almost,” she moaned.

“Come for me Carter,” Jack groaned while his free hand was kneading her breast, flicking her nipple, playing with the hard knob through the fabric of her tank top. “Come”.

Sam felt herself explode when his fingers thrust against one of her sensitive spots and his other hand pinched her nipple hard, hard enough to make her yelp and moan at the same time.

“Sam? Sam!”

God, that sounded like Pete. What the hell was he doing on base? _No! What am I doing? I’m engaged to Pete, I don’t have any feelings for my CO!_ It was just hero-worshipping and perhaps an infatuation, of course he’s an attractive man so it’s only natural to find him pleasant to look at… _Am I insane? I just begged my CO to fuck me, which he did – albeit with his fingers – in my lab which is monitored by CCTV and the door isn’t even closed! What was I thinking? Screw the regs? Well, I kind of did… And what is the General doing?_ Sam looked over her shoulder, only to see that he wasn’t there anymore. She turned around; let her eyes do a sweep of the lab, only to see it fade around her.

“Sam?”

She blinked a few times and when she opened her eyes everything was dark. _Huh_?

“Sam? Babe, wake up.”

_Oh no, it was just a dream! No! That is a good thing! It was more like a nightmare, considering I don’t have any feelings for him. None whatsoever._ “Pete?”

“What the hell were you dreaming, honey? I mean, wow,” he grinned.

Sam looked down now that her eyesight was adjusting to the dark, only to see one of her hands down her panties and the other was still cupping her breast. _Great!_ She quickly withdrew her hands and shot him a look.

“Uh… I don’t remember.”

“Well, it must’ve been something pretty good, the way you were trashing the bed. I mean, damn! I know you can be enthusiastic, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you like this,” he smirked, bending down to kiss her. “So, what? Were we trying a new position or something?”

“Like I said, I don’t really remember. It was all a blur, more like feelings,” she lied. _If you were a more considerate lover, perhaps I would be more like that with you._ Well, it’s not like it’s his fault. He wasn’t a complete moron in bed, he did try, but he just didn’t know all her sensitive spots yet. The places he should touch to make her lose control and he wasn’t particularly adventurous. He usually positioned them into the century old missionary position, she had tried being on top a few times but he wasn’t too keen on that it seemed. She would give him head every now and then, but he was more into the actual intercourse than the oral pleasure. This had come as a bit of a surprise to her at first, none of her previous lovers had turned down a blowjob when she offered or initiated it, but she soon found out he wasn’t the type for a second round. And whenever she tried to take the lead, to try a different position he would stop her and take control. So his performance in the bedroom was what, average? “You’re back already?”

“Already? It’s almost time for you to get up, babe.”

Sam looked over to her alarm clock, which read ‘ _5:45.’_ “Oh”.

“Yeah, if it wasn’t I’m sure we could re-enact that dream of yours,” he smirked, waggling his eyebrows.

“That’s okay, you go to sleep. I’ll turn of the alarm and get a shower,” she said, reaching over to the alarm clock. Then she practically ran into her bathroom; she definitely needed to clean herself up, her panties really were soaked and were getting sticky. Just like the juices on her thighs. Not to mention her camisole. She might as well throw that one in the laundry, considering she’d wiped her wet hand off on it. Sam took off her clothes and jumped in the shower, trying not to think about her dream. She just hoped the General wouldn’t bother her in her lab today.

“Oh and babe? I was just wondering if you’ve heard anything from your father. We didn’t send him an official invitation for the party, you know, with him being an alien and all,” he laughed through the door.

_Thoughts about my father… oh yes, that’s definitely a libido killer. Why didn’t I think of it before?_ Not to mention her father and Selmak.In a way Selmak had given Sam the father she’d never had and she loved her for it, but she was still a slimy snake around her father’s brainstem. Yep, that cooled her down more than a cold shower could have!

“No, haven’t heard anything yet, but I did send a message to him saying it was urgent. I really do want you to meet him.” _Or do I?_ Who was she kidding? Dad was never going to like him. Well, maybe if they spent some time together. It’s not like Dad had ever really liked a guy she was dating. But this was the man she loved and was going to marry. Plus he’s a friend of Mark’s. That should count for something right?She might’ve been attracted to the lunatic fringe before, but her brother is actually a good judge of character. __


	3. Barbecues, Briefings and First Impressions

"So are you guys going to the barbecue tonight?"

"Yes, Daniel, I almost forgot! Pete reminded me this morning, if he hadn't it would've slipped by me," Sam admitted.

"I will be attending as well. Will Pete Shanahan be accompanying you, Colonel Carter?"

"Yes, General Hammond invited us and Pete has taken a few days off, so…"

"Oh, that sucks."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sam asked sharply, giving him a pointed look.

"Sorry! That came out wrong, Sam! I meant that he had taken a few days off while we have to go to Washington…" Notthat Daniel was thrilled her fiancé would be there tonight, but it was to be expected.

"Yeah, he wasn't too happy about that. He thought I would have some downtime, which we did until Washington came along…"

"Indeed, I was most unpleased to hear my presence was required. Like O'Neill I do not feel comfortable in Washington nor do I appreciate the comments from the unknowing politicians."

"Their bullshit you mean, T?" Jack grinned, overhearing their topic of conversation as he joined them and sat down at their table.

"Indeed, O'Neill."

"Do we have to go, Jack?"

"Stop whining, Daniel, or you'll be accompanying the jarheads on their trips for the next few weeks."

Sam ducked her head so the guys wouldn't see her smile at the Generals comment. "Is there any more information about our little trip, Sir?"

"Yeah, I came to tell you guys that there will be a briefing at 1600 hours. By then I'll have all the information and probably more."

"Can't you move that up a bit?"

"Why, Space Monkey?"

"Because of the barbecue!"

Sam grinned at Daniel's indignant response and glanced at the General. “Yes, will you be there, Sir?"

"Yes Carter, ol' George almost begged me to come and it's rude to decline your commanding officer," Jack joked. "But I thought it was supposed to start at 1700 hours?"

"Indeed it shall."

"Well, then keep your pants on Danny Boy! We'll just be fashionably late," Jack smirked before he got up and left. He’d only dropped by to tell them about the extra briefing and to get a new cup of coffee.

"I shall accompany you, O'Neill," Teal'c said before he left Sam and Daniel.

"So what are you up to?"

"Nothing much, I still have to finish the tests for that doohickey SG-12 brought back. What about you?"

"Um, I think I'll be translating the ancient text from P4X-545. Hopefully it won't take too long now that I have a better understanding of the language. But there's still a chance it's a dialect, which means I'll probably won't be able to finish it today," Daniel sighed.

Sam smiled at him while she was eating the last bits of her blue jello. Now that the General had left, she felt more comfortable. Not that he made her uncomfortable on purpose or anything, but when she saw him she couldn't stop the erotic memories of her dream coming to mind. Thankfully he’d hardly paid any attention to her, because she knew she would be blushing if his eyes would lock onto hers or if he smiled at her with that sexy grin of his. That has always been the case, nothing to worry about. It's just because he is so pleasing to the eye, it would be the same if George Clooney was smiling at her.Sam had never been good at appreciating or accepting compliments, especially not if they were about her looks; she knew she wasn't unattractive, but she wasn't a beauty and that was fine with her. And the same went for gazing at her or just too much attention, which – with her complexion – led to her blushing. Which was very frustrating!

* * *

"There you go," Jack said as he handed everyone a manila folder. "They all have your personal instructions for the meetings in Washington, including which files you should be bringing. So don't lose it!"

Teal'c gave a barely noticeable nod with his head, Daniel was bobbing his head in annoyance, Dr. Lee looked rather irritable and refrained from replying to such an obvious hint while Carter was smiling at him. Jack gave her a small smile in return, before focusing his attention on the briefing. Of course they had started too late and he had been bitching about it, but in reality he hadn't expected anything else. He was meeting with three  _scientists_  after all! They had all been too caught up in their work, while Teal'c had been right on schedule. Jack now knew that Teal'c really didn't want to go to Washington, but on the other hand he really did want to see his proposal approved. So Jack had used the time waiting for the eggheads to convince Teal'c that it wouldn't be  _that_ bad to go to Washington. Teal'c had finally agreed, but Jack wasn't sure if he was that persuasive or if it was because he had called Teal'c a wuss… so while his time waiting had been well spent, it did mean that they would be even later for Hammond's barbeque.

During the briefing he saw Carter glancing at the clock several times, like she was late for something. This was true of course, since she was going to be there as well tonight. With that  _cop_! Jack really wanted her to be happy, but did it have to be with that loser? He so didn’t deserve her! Stalking her to that stakeout and running that background check on her according to Hammond!But still, they were all going to Hammond’s tonight so it didn't make a lot of sense for her to worry about being late. He knew she was a stickler for rules, a neat freak and always wanted to be on time – unless she was working on a doohickey – but even for her it would be ridiculous to worry about this. It was probably something else… but what could have his Colonel checking the clock and her watch in turn? She was probably going to go home, get dressed –  _don't even think about it, Jack! –_ and go to Hammond's with that cop. Which meant that the cop was probably waiting for her? Well, he  _was_  a cop, so he should be all too familiar with appointments.

Carter was glancing at him now; he could see it from the corner of his eye. He locked his eyes on hers and raised his eyebrows. 'Are we keeping you from something, Carter?' His facial expression asked her. She barely shook her head before ducking it to hide the flush creeping from her neck. She looked totally adorable with flushed cheeks!

Sam ducked her head to hide her embarrassment of being caught in the act; the General had seen her watching the clock and had let her know it by his questioning look. All of a sudden she felt her cell phone vibrating in het BDU pocket.  _Crap!_  She could feel her face heating up more and tried to grab her phone stealthily to turn it off. Of course she was too late; by the time she flicked it open and wanted to press the red button, the tune started and everyone scowled at her.

"Sorry, I thought I'd turned it off."

"Nothing important I hope, Carter?"

"No, Sir. I'm sorry."

She saw him wave a dismissive hand, but Bill was definitely still scowling at her. And Daniel was looking rather annoyed as well.  _Great, just great!_ Pete could probably rival Daniel in the worst timing! He was probably calling her to ask her what was keeping her. He'd called her earlier in the lab asking her if she'd gotten Hammond something. She'd been confused, but according to Pete it was completely normal to give the General a present for his hospitality. She didn't know what she could possibly get him that he didn't already have. And she didn't want to go all out, because she was unsure if the guys and the other personnel were bringing something – they probably weren't. Pete had told her they would go buy something together after work before getting dressed. She couldn’t really worry about since she doubted General Hammond was actually expecting her to buy him something – she never had and he knew she wasn’t the thoughtful kind of person.

Now Jack knew for sure that Carter was watching the clock for that cop and he had a gut feeling that Walter would come walking in here any minute, telling Carter she had an urgent call.

Apparently Carter had the same idea, because when Walter came walking up the stairs from the control room and looked at her, she shook her head with minimum movement and put up her hand – making sure that Walter got the message: 'I'm not available at the moment!' At least the briefing wasn't interrupted…

Carter was a genius – even the Asgard said she was exceptionally smart, especially for a human and let's not forget about all the times she saved their collective little gray butts! – and Jack knew there weren't many guys on this planet that could keep up with her intelligence, but that cop wasn't even trying… He sighed as Walter came in the briefing room and cleared his throat, to inform everyone that "A Detective Shanahan is here to see Colonel Carter, Sir" less than thirty minutes later when they were nearing the end of the briefing.

Jack looked around and saw Carter straightening up in her seat – a sign that she was uncomfortable but not surrendering or defending – while Daniel and Dr. Lee were scowling at her. Teal'c just raised his eyebrow at her, although it seemed to reach new heights and Jack himself just rolled his eyes.

"Sir?"

"Fine," he sighed and motioned to Walter. "Let him in here, he has minimal clearance and we're already wrapping up here…." The brass had decided last year to give the cop minimal clearance after almost busting their stakeout of Daniel's house, waiting for Osiris to show. Because of his injury at the time he was allowed to the lower levels so Fraiser could patch him up in her infirmary, but the cop didn’t have clearance to just waltz in here. Still, it was a slow day as most personnel had already left for Hammond’s barbeque and there weren’t any teams off-world at the moment. It would only take the second elevator a few minutes to bring the cop down and then they could get going.

"Jack, you can't be serious!" Daniel almost yelped.

Apparently Daniel hadn't been lying when he'd told him he didn't like Shanahan, Jack mused. "Look Daniel, we're almost finished and it is getting late."

"Uh… Thank you, Sir," Carter mumbled with flushed cheeks.

Jack noticed the look Teal'c was sending him and the extremely loud sigh from Dr. Lee couldn't be ignored…

"Hey babe!" Pete’s voice sounded as he walked through the door opening.

 _I can't believe Carter lets him call her that!_ He knew a lot of couples would use sweet nicknames for each other _– I don't really want to think about this –_ but 'babe?' There has _got_ to be something better out there! While Jack was contemplating this and trying not to show his dislike for the newcomer, he missed how Sam cringed at Pete's choice of words.

"Hi Pete… Uh, you remember my team, right?" Sam stood up and walked towards him, but wasn't prepared for him to grab her and kiss her on the cheek. In front of her colleagues! Pete just nodded and took a seat next to Bill, who was sitting next to Sam. She already saw Daniel scowling at him and Teal'c was looking at Pete like… only Teal'c could. She daren't look at the General!

"Right, by all means, take a seat," Jack said sarcastically.

"This is great," Pete just said. He was obviously enjoying the moment, being let in on an important briefing!

"Right," Jack tried not to sigh or sound exasperated, but this guy was really working on his nerves! "Like I said, we will be leaving here at 0600 hours tomorrow and will stay in DC at least until Saturday. Those politicians just  _love_  ruining the only downtime we get and since I'm not sure how long the Saturday meetings will take, I can't say if we'll be flying back Saturday or Sunday. Walter will arrange the transport so we'll know more tomorrow about our little camping trip."

At that moment Walter came walking in again. He took his time to scowl at the cop, who felt totally at home at the briefing room table, before opening his mouth. "Sir, there's someone here to see General Hammond."

"Really?" Daniel piped. "Who could that be?"

"Walter?"

"Sir, she has security clearance and when I told her General Hammond was promoted, she asked to speak to the person in charge saying it was important." Walter looked uncomfortable.

All of a sudden Jack had an idea about the mystery visitor. "Well, send her in; we're all done here anyways."

Carter immediately stood up, probably getting ready to bolt with her fiancé, but the other men took their time. Jack knew they just wanted to see who it was and if he was right – she was the only one he could think of that didn't know he was in charge yet – he'd let them stay and give them something to think about it. She'd play along, he just knew it. He knew  _her_.

Walter came back in after ten minutes and waved his arm out, so that the woman could step forward.

"Howdy Ma'am," he smiled. He knew it would be her.

Daniel had been looking at the young and quite attractive woman who’d entered the room, but couldn't help let out an exasperated sigh and roll his eyes at Jack for his un-intellectual greeting. Did he always have to put up his dumb act? She was dressed in a business suit, her light hair pulled back with a clip with a few lost strands gracing her face and appeared to be relatively intelligent.

Teal'c quirked an eyebrow at the young woman and glanced back at O'Neill, before looking at his teammates. He chose to ignore Colonel Carter's fiancé and Doctor Lee who were both staring at the woman in question.

"Well, hello  _General_  O'Neill," the woman grinned putting emphasis on his new rank. "Am I correct to assume that my memo was lost in the mail?"

Sam was watching as the General greeted the tall woman. He was smiling at her with  _that_  smile! The one that showed affection, which he used to only use on her or Cassie – and maybe on Kerry Johnson before they broke up – and he was playing the charming General.  _What was that?! No, that was not a sting of jealousy!_ It was surprise _,_ Sam told herself; she was just surprised by the way he’s acting, that's all.

Jack smiled sheepishly at her. "Yeah, I guess so. You know Hammond, always forgetting to do his paperwork," he joked. He saw the other people in the room looking at him in disbelief.

"Riiight, I'm sure he'd love to hear that,  _General_ ," she smiled, showing off her dimples and white teeth. "And my invitation to your promotion party?"

"Must've been the wrong address, I still use the old paper in an envelope, you know?" He winked at her, causing her to giggle a bit. "Why don't we take this to my office?"

"Lead the way, General."

Sam was still confused. Had they been flirting? In front of  _her_  – them! In front of them! The General never displayed his affections openly, let alone flirt in public – he and Kerry Johnson had been very professional at the base and no one had known about it until they went to his house one day. She saw Daniel looking at her with questioning eyes. Even Teal'c looked curious! Bill was almost drooling, he needed a life… or to get laid. Maybe both. She heard the fading voices of the General and the woman until they reached his office.

"You know  _General,_  this is going to take some getting used to. General O'Neill, it sounds good, though."

"You take all the time you need, in the meantime you can call me 'Jack.'"

"Why thank you,  _Jack_."

Sam was stunned. They were definitely flirting! Their laughter died when the woman closed the door. She saw her standing in front of Jack, slapping him teasingly on his arm which made him laugh. She couldn't remember the last time she had heard – or seen – the General laugh out loud! He was perched on his desk, talking to her animatedly, wildly gesturing with his hand. He wasn't even sitting in his chair!

"What just happened?" Daniel asked no one in particular.

"I do not know, Daniel Jackson. It was rather peculiar. I have not seen O'Neill act this way before."

"I knew he could be charming, I mean there has to be a reason all the women on base like him… and I have seen him flirting sometimes or being charming to off-worlders when he needed to. But not like this…"

"Isn't it obvious?" Pete and Bill Lee said simultaneously.

"No?" Sam and Daniel answered.

"She's hot!"

"She's stunning! I mean, did you  _see_  those legs? And that smile?"

Bill and Pete said, respectively.

Sam looked at Pete. She wasn’t the jealous type but did he have to say it like that? It wasn’t him admiring other women that bothered her – looking, no touching – but he didn’t have to elaborate and especially not in front of her friends and coworkers!

"Not just those legs…  _That_  body! Not to mention that rack, God, what I wouldn't do to-"

Pete was already nodding at Bills comments, before Daniel cleared his throat and pointed his head at Teal'c, who was glaring at them.

Sam felt her cheeks burn after Pete's actions. God, why was he always embarrassing her? Her friends weren’t his biggest fans yet he always managed to say something embarrassing in front of them while he could be very charming when they were alone! She saw Daniel looking sympathetically at her and she shrugged.  _None of this hurts me!_

The door opened and the woman stepped out of the office, still laughing. She heard the Generals booming laugh and it stirred something in her belly.  _No!_ It were probably just the vibrations of his low bass; she was standing rather close to them and his laugh was loud, after all.

Walter Harriman was still standing at the same spot, he was frozen. What had happened to the General? Had he been kidnapped and replaced with a clone again?

"Um… Jack?" Daniel tried getting Jacks attention.

"Right, the barbecue." He said, nodding at him, Daniel noted. Then Jack turned to the woman, eyebrows lifted and a small smile tugging at his lips. "Want to come? I'm sure ol' George wouldn't mind…"

"Love to, but can't. I've got to run… well, fly actually, I have meeting in France to catch," she smiled at Jack. "Tell him I said 'Hi and congratulations.' And don't forget to call; I'll be unavailable the rest of the week, so let me know what to do by Monday or Tuesday."

Daniel watched the interaction between the woman and Jack. She squeezed his hand, walked backwards toward the door while talking. When she reached the door, she said "Bye", gave a small wave goodbye with her hand and smiled at everyone in the room. When he'd tried getting Jack’s attention, Daniel actually wanted Jack to introduce the woman but of course he didn't get it. Oh well, now he’d just have to poke and prod until Jack would tell him. He had all night…

"I'll go get dressed and go over to Hammond's. You guys coming?" Jack asked his friends, ignoring Carter and the cop - who had their own plans – and Dr. Lee. They were still stunned. He could see it, heh! At least he felt a little better after her visit, because that cop had definitely spoiled his mood. And that wouldn't be fair to Hammond. He'd known exactly what was going on with his friends, he'd seen them staring at them while in the office and they'd probably talked about it and he'd known Daniel wanted him to introduce her… Jack just loved teasing them. It wasn’t like they had to know everything. He had important General-stuff to do, which had nothing to do with them. Okay, he knew he was just riling them up and it didn't have anything to with work – well, her visit had, but the teasing didn't – but it was so much fun.  He couldn't remember ever seeing Teal'c so puzzled…

"Jaaaaack?"

Jack walked passed Walter, "See you at Hammond’s", and went to the locker room. He heard the Jaffa following him down the corridors, knowing the man would never ask a question simply to satisfy his – or his teammates’ – curiosity and ignored Daniel.

* * *

"Oh really, Jack? How is she?"

 _I'm too late!_ Daniel hurried over to General Hammond and Jack, trying to hear the rest of the conversation, but apparently Jack had already told Hammond about the woman visiting earlier.

"She's doing fine. I asked her if she wanted to come, but she had to catch a plane for a meeting in Italy or something."

"France, Jack. She said France. Those two don't even sound alike!"

George chuckled at the friendly banter from the two younger men. He hadn't realized how much he’d missed being around the SGC and all the personnel, some of whom had become good friends over the last years. When he had finally gotten a week off to visit his daughter and granddaughters, he had invited the SGC personnel to a barbecue in his backyard in Colorado Springs now that he was in the neighborhood.

"Well, they are neighboring countries." Jack had said 'Italy' on purpose, to see if Daniel was paying attention and of course the old Space Monkey was! As soon as Jack was alone with the General he’d told him about Ilse's visit, making sure Daniel or Teal'c couldn't overhear them. He wanted to keep them guessing for a while, just to get his kicks.

"I'm sorry to hear that, I would've loved to see her again. Tell her that when you call her…" George told Jack as he was watching him and Daniel Jackson. It was obvious Doctor Jackson wanted to know more about Ilse and - to George – it was even more obvious that Jack loved baiting and taunting him by not telling anything. He would let him have his fun… "Ah, that sounds like Colonel Carter’s Volvo."

Jack and Daniel both turned to the sound coming from the front yard as Teal'c was joining their group.

"It appears Colonel Carter and Pete Shanahan have arrived," Teal'c mentioned before nodding to General Hammond.

George had always been a good soldier and deserved his rank, so it was only natural that he was so good at covering his surprise. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten about the Detective – he had received their invitation and his assistant had already been halfway through RSVP-ing before asking if it was okay – but he hadn’t realized the man would be tagging along tonight. Damn. This wasn't the right time, for several reasons. For one because he was pretty sure he knew how Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter felt about each other and he didn't want there to be tension tonight. He knew most men on base weren't too fond of her fiancé and not just because they all thought Jack and Sam belonged together – and had placed bets in the pool – but also because of how the detective had gotten the clearance, or more likely  _why_. Last but not least because he’d called Walter yesterday inquiring about the Tok'ra and the Sergeant had been able to contact them without Jack knowing to send an invitation to Jacob and Selmak for today’s barbecue. And Walter just told him – before mentioning Ilse's visit – that Jacob would be here. Today.

"It looks like Reynolds has something to say to me, so off I go." Jack said to the men while signaling Colonel Reynolds back. "Carter, Shannon." Nodding towards them he went over to Reynolds to talk about the last details of his mission – and get an update about the injured lieutenant from SG-3 – and DC.

"Shanahan, General," Pete growled, while tightening his grip on Sam. He saw her shoot him a look, but he didn't care. It was a mystery how that man made General. Sam had told him he'd led SG-1 for years while they saved the world and all, but the man had a horrible memory! Or perhaps he was just bad with names and objects, because he never called him Shanahan – or Pete for that matter – and he’d heard him repeating other people's names or objects wrong after just having been told the right name too!

"Hiya Sam, Pete. I was wondering what was taking you so long!"

"Pete insisted we went by the store first, Daniel," Sam explained as a greeting.

"Colonel Carter you look very lovely this evening," Teal'c solemnly said while giving a nod of approval at her summer dress.

"Thank you, Teal'c. General Hammond, it's great to see you again, Sir!"

"Teal'c is right, you look beautiful Sam. And you can call me George when you're in my own backyard," George chuckled.

"Yes General, thank you for inviting me," Pete added, shaking the Generals hand.

 _Don't remind me!_  "Of course, Detective!" George reluctantly shook the other man's hand. "What is this?"

"Pete thought we should buy you something, but I didn't know what to get you, Sir…  _George_ ," Sam said while blushing. She smiled at the General when he thanked them and watched him put it inside.

"So?"

"Daniel, what are you talking about?" Sam asked wearily. He sometimes forgot they couldn't read his mind and would just ask his question without any introduction, confusing everyone including her.

"That woman, of course! Do you know who she is?"

"Daniel you already asked that and how should I know anything else after just arriving here. Besides, what does it matter?"

"Sam! It's important, Jack was acting strange. And he was almost smiling on the way here," Daniel shuddered at the memory.

"Indeed, it was most disturbing. I too am curious about this female Tau'ri and the nature of her visit."

"Yeah, she was hot. I wonder why she was flirting with him."

Sam shot Pete a look at his last comment. Why did he have to keep repeating that she was hot? What if General O'Neill of Hammond overheard him? She didn’t even want to think about that!

"It looked like a social call, though," he continued.

"No, I don't think Jack does social calls on base. Maybe she's IOA? She did say she had to go back to France, although I couldn't hear a French accent," Daniel was brainstorming out loud. Perhaps the others would give him an idea.

"Then would she not have known of General Hammond's promotion and O'Neill's command of the base?"

"Teal'c is right," Sam nodded.

"The big guy usually is, Carter. And if he isn't, don't rub his nose in it because that tends to piss him off."

 _Crap, did he overhear our conversation?_ She’d known it was stupid to discuss something like this out here in the open with everyone able to eavesdrop! Sam quickly looked her General over, but he wasn't showing any of the signs that he'd known what they were talking about.

"So, what's he right about now?"

 _There is a God!_ Sam let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and let herself relax.

"Nothing," Daniel said quickly.

Jack shrugged and walked over to General Hammond to see how dinner was coming along. Of course he'd overheard them guessing, but he wouldn't let them know. Not yet, anyway.

* * *

"So Sam and I were wondering if you guys were coming to the engagement party," Pete stated while enjoying his burger.

"Pete, I already told you that the guys probably didn't have the time to RSVP," Sam hissed. Why couldn't he let this go? They’d already been over this, this morning and on their way over here.

"I was buried in paperwork when I got the invitation, however my assistant immediately RSVPed," George Hammond said, being a bit annoyed with the pushy detective.

"That's great General Hammond! Teal'c and Daniel already said they would be there during lunch this afternoon," Sam beamed.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at Daniel Jackson. He most certainly had not accepted nor rejected. He had been cautious, because he was unsure of how to proceed, knowing Colonel Carter was making a colossal mistake. At that moment he saw Daniel Jackson almost choking on his food. "Daniel Jackson, are you alright?"

"Yeah… wrong pipe," he squeaked. "Right… of course I'll be there, Sam."

"What about you, General O'Neill?"

Jack turned his attention to the cop, was he imagining it or was there a certain tone to his question?

"You will be there, right Sir?"

"It kinda depends on my schedule and any imminent threat to the universe, but if Carter wants me there I'll try, Paul." Definitely not imagining, he thought. Take that, asshole! Jack smirked at the cop, who was glaring at him. And that megawatt-smile of Carter's was totally worth it!

"Why are you so worked up about it, anyway? It's not like it's the real deal, or anything." Daniel looked at his friends, silently asking for their support.

"What do you mean, Daniel?"

"Sam, it's just an engagement party and the way you're planning it makes it sound like the wedding reception."

"Well, I'm not planning any of it. You actually think I have time for that? I just wanted a small party, but Hilda, Pete's mother, insisted on throwing us a huge party and she's the one organizing everything." Sam was proud of the way she made it sound like she was okay with all of this. But in reality she agreed with Daniel. She watched as the General was called away again – she was really glad he'd said he'd try to be there – and continued. "But I am a bit scared that not everyone is going to be able to attend the wedding, so this way it'll still-"

"What wedding Sammie?"

Sam froze.  _Dad?_ Just relax and count to ten, she told herself. _One, two, three, four, five…_ She inhaled deeply and turned around.

"Look what the cat dragged in, Carter! Apparently Hammond went behind my back and used my own personnel to get an invitation through the gate and who do you think received it? Yep, that's right! At least… I hope that's the reason Dad was sneaking around here." Jack toned down his fake-cheery voice at the end of his sentence when realization kicked in. "That  _is_  why you're here, right?"

"Yes Jack, George invited me to a late summer barbecue and thought it would be a great chance to catch up. I couldn't agree more with him, especially since I had received a message from my daughter about something urgent," Jacob's eyebrows rose higher and higher with every word, while his voice did the same. "So, what wedding, Sammie?"

"Jacob, you made it!" George went over to his old friend and greeted him. Sam looked like she'd been saved by the bell. Like he’d thought, his old friend didn't know anything yet and this was definitely bad timing!

Sam decided to just get it over with, biting the bullet so to speak. "Dad, do you remember how I told you that I started dating someone?" 

"You mean when Mark told me he hooked you up with some friend of his and you avoided the subject? Yes, I recall."

' _Jacob, your daughter is very uncomfortable and it is taking her great effort to tell you this. Remain calm and do not scare or intimidate her.'_

Jacob listened to Selmak – she was over two thousand years old, after all – and inhaled deeply to keep his cool. He threw a sideway glance at Jack, who was looking just as uncomfortable as he was feeling himself. ' _I always wondered about those two…'_

' _Yes, I know. It is rather obvious how he feels about her, is it not? I still cannot fathom all of the Tau'ri ways, Jacob. Your daughter and Jack O'Neill confuse me.'_

' _You knew?!'_

' _As usual, you ignore what you do not want to see.'_

"Well, Pete and I sort of… hit it off. And we've been together for a while now and, um… " Sam continued, oblivious to the internal conversation her father was having with his symbiote.

"What?"

"I proposed to Sam and she accepted," Pete beamed at the older man.

"You proposed to my daughter?"

"Yes."

Surprised, he stared at them for a moment. "And you two think you're getting married?"

"We  _are_  getting married, Dad."

"He didn't even ask me permission, Sammie!" Jacob looked at his daughter and that is when he noticed the engagement ring on her right hand. The fact she was apparently still following Catholic traditions was a small comfort, right now.

"Well, we don't live in the middle Ages anymore…" Sam sighed.

"You wanted me to ask you for her hand?" Pete asked shocked.

Jacob was getting angrier by the minute. "Something like that, yes. Call me old fashioned, but I don't even know your name!"

"If I had known you'd wanted me to, I would've Dad – I can call you Dad, right?" Pete smiled.

"No, you can't. You're not married yet and I don't even know who you are!"

"Dad, this is Pete Shanahan, my fiancé."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dad."

"That would be Major General Carter, Shanahan," Jacob groaned.

"Dad!"

"Sammie!" Jacob held up his hand and gave the guy his best General-stare. "I need to talk to my daughter in private."

Jack watched as Jacob almost dragged Carter with him into the house for a little father-daughter time. He looked at the cop who sat with slumped shoulders and looked exasperated. "And here I was thinking my meet and greet with Sara's parents was bad," he smirked before taking a zip of his cold beer. Yes, this day was getting better and better! He was feeling sorry for Carter though… and he knew he shouldn't be gloating, but still.

Daniel looked at Jack in shock –  _how could he say that?_ When he glanced at Teal'c he saw the Jaffa's lips quirking into a small smile. Him too?! He had to admit it was beyond awkward. Even he felt awkward and he didn't have anything to do with them! But still, Sam was facing her father in the house and Pete was sitting here… with Jack being an ass! Daniel tried talking to Pete a bit, but they didn't have a lot in common and he still didn't like the guy, no matter how much he sympathized with Sam. He was saved when the patio doors opened again and both Carters came towards them.

"Alright Sam, you're right. It's your life. And it's your mistake."

"Are you going to start this again?" Sam asked incredulous.

"No, no I won't. Selmak told me not to get involved. You explained everything back in the house and I promise I will give him a chance…" Jacob looked up to see his daughter smile at him and he felt a little better. She looked so much like her mother when she smiled! As soon as they reached the group, Sam took Pete with her to talk to him and he acted like nothing had happened in front of the other men. After a while – okay, three minutes – he couldn't take it anymore.

"So, what do you think about this Shanahan. What do you know about him?"

"Sam really likes him," Daniel started.

"I do not think he is worthy of Colonel Carter."

A heavy silence descended on the group of men. Jacob was thinking about his conversation with his daughter and the way her team was talking about her fiancé. Jack however remained silent, interesting… it was pretty obvious even her teammates didn't share Sam's fondness of the man, Jack least of all. Jacob tried to stare Jack down, to get him to say something. There was something he didn't want to tell him Jacob deduced from the way he was trying to avoid his attention.

"Carter says he makes her happy," Jack finally said, after an uncomfortable silence with Jacob staring at him. But apparently he wanted more. "He's a  _cop_."

"She thinks she's marrying a  _cop_?" Jacob exclaimed.

Daniel saw that Sam and Pete were coming back and he tried to calm Jacob and told him a little bit of what Sam had told him about Pete.

Jack's cell phone rang and he walked away from the crowd and answered the call from the SGC. It was Walter.

"I could've sworn I saw you here at Hammond's, Walter."

" _Yes sir, I was there to see the General and had dinner. But I figured I better stay on base tonight, in case you need anything in the morning before you leave for DC, Sir-"_

"That's fine, Walter."

" _While I was here there was a call from the President, Sir. His assistant told me the Joint Chiefs of Staff have scheduled an extra meeting for Monday, which means you will all be flying back Monday night."_

"Great, just what I needed. Thanks Walter."

Jack walked back to the group – his old team, Jacob and Hammond – just in time to hear Pete ask:

"So, you really got one of those things in your head?"

Jack had to hold back a laugh and saw Daniel and Hammond almost choke on their beer, while Carter's eyes grew bigger than he thought was possible. Teal'c just raised a disapproving eyebrow and Jacob stared at Shanahan.

"If by one of those things, you mean a 2,000 year old Tok'ra symbiote. Yes."

"Seriously. Come on… that has got to freak you right out sometimes. It's weird."

_Oh, it was going to be a long night…_ __


	4. Off to Washington DC

Jack quickly finished his bowl of Fruit Loops and scooped up his cup of coffee. Almost time to leave for base, to sit in an uncomfortable position for too long in a plane to DC. Yes, he would enjoy being bored to death by politicians; surely there had to be a better – and more humane – way to go? The only good thing about it was that Kinsey was gone, so he wouldn’t have to listen to that megalomaniac. At least he had convinced Walter that they needed a decent place to stay, so he’d checked them in a fancy hotel. Normally Jack wouldn’t mind spending time in a luxurious hotel with his friends, but late last night Shanahan had somehow managed to invite himself for the trip. Jack was about to object, until he realized that Shanahan had baited Hammond into okaying it and Hammond was still his superior. So no matter how much Jack didn’t want the cop to tag along – not to mention watching him and Carter _together_ – there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

 _It will take some time to convince Daniel of that_ , Jack mused. Daniel had been out like a light much earlier that evening and Teal'c had taken him back to base. They would not like this. Jack brushed his teeth, ran a comb through his hair and put on his dress blues – he wasn’t stupid enough to go brush his teeth while wearing them. One more thing that annoyed him about this trip – he would be wearing his dress blues the entire time. When he’d made General he was told to wear his blues all the time, because now he was ‘the Man.’ Jack being Jack had managed to convince Walter to get someone to sow his star on his BDUs. Well, at least he wasn’t the only one; Carter had to wear her dress blues as well… and she looked hot in them. _Crap_!

When he got on base he was greeted by Daniel and Teal'c at the elevators.

"Did you see Sam?"

"No, she isn't here yet?" When Daniel shook his head, Jack let out a sigh of relief. At Daniel's inquiring look, he continued: "After you left last night, Shanahan brought up our trip to Washington. Apparently he was in the assumption he and Carter would be spending some time together and the poor guy's planning was all screwed up. Don't ask me how, but somehow he managed to trick Hammond into allowing him to go with us to DC-"

"What? Pete's coming too?"

"Could you not tell him his company is not wanted, O'Neill?"

"I was about to complain, when I realized Hammond had already okayed it. There's nothing I can do, seeing as Hammond still outranks me," Jack said through gritted teeth.

Daniel's comment was cut off when they saw Sam and Pete coming out of the elevator.

"I shall retrieve Dr. Lee," Teal'c said after greeting Colonel Carter – ignoring Detective Shanahan.

Jack quickly gave everyone instructions and before long they were on the plane. Jack gave Teal'c a set of earplugs when he noticed the Jaffa looking very dismayed at Shanahan – who kept rambling on and on about something to everyone, but mostly Carter. For a moment Teal'c looked puzzled until Jack showed him how to use them and tilted his head to show Teal'c his own earplugs already in place. Daniel was still trying to feign interest and Carter looked a bit embarrassed. Jack decided he would pretend to sleep the entire time, because he couldn't look at the couple without seriously hurting someone.

"Where are we going now?" Pete asked after they retrieved their luggage on the airport. "Will we be going to the Pentagon immediately or are we going to the hotel?"

Jack still hadn't removed his earplugs, but he could still see the cop's mouth moving.  _Doesn't he ever shut up?_  He was inclined to remove the earplugs – like Teal'c had already done – now that they were in such a public area. He never let his guard down and he wasn't about to do it now. The plane was the only place where he would let himself.

Realizing Jack was ignoring Pete, Daniel turned to the man. "Um… I guess we'll see."

"What do you mean? You don't know?"

"Pete, please. There will be someone here to pick us up. Just keep your eyes open," Sam said softly. He was annoying her. She glanced at the General and was wondering what he was doing, until she saw the earplugs. He'd been wearing earplugs the entire time? He never does that! A nagging voice in her head was telling her it was probably because of her fiancé and suddenly she felt doubly mortified at Pete’s embarrassing behavior and the way he’d gotten himself invited on this trip.

"What should we be looking for then?"

"Oh, for crying out loud, can't you stay quiet for a minute?" Jack noticed everyone was looking at him, stunned – well, everyone but Teal'c. Excellent. He had to enjoy the quiet before it'd be gone.

"General O'Neill?"

Jack turned to see an airman jumping at attention and saluting him, that had to be their ride. He nodded to the man and motioned behind him for the others.

"Colonel!" The man saluted again.

"At ease, Airman."

"Yes sir." The young lieutenant waved his hand at the General's bag.

"Carter?"

"No, I'm fine, Sir."

"Take our bags and lead the way," Jack ordered, ignoring Carter's comment. He put on his sunglasses and saw Carter doing the exact same thing. They were getting a lot of attention from the civilians, he noted. They must be quite the sight: a General and Colonel from the USAF, a Jaffa, two dorky scientists and that cop.

* * *

Jack had been enjoying himself when they went to the restaurant. The meetings had been boring as hell – no wait, he'd been there, it was worse – but there was a friendly banter when they ended, probably because everyone was relieved. Even Dr. Lee wasn't annoying him as much as usual.

"Did you have reservations?" The hostess asked Daniel in a tone that was supposed to be friendly, but it betrayed her annoyance over the overcrowded restaurant.

"Um, Jack?"

"Yes Daniel, I had someone call," Jack said exasperated. Why did Daniel always assume the worst when it came to Jack and was always the optimist when encountering aliens, no matter how hostile they looked?

"What name?"

She wasn't even trying to be friendly anymore, Jack realized. "O'Neill", Jack said in his General-voice while stepping forward so he could see her.

" _General_ O'Neill?" She was blushing. "Reservation for six?"

Jack was about to object, when he realized that Carter's fiancé would be joining them. Crap. Instead he nodded.

"I called Pete earlier and he should be on his way, Sir."

"Great, Carter."

They ordered their drinks and Jack excused himself to call in with Reynolds. After talking to Reynolds for a while, Walter told him Ilse had left him a message that she was already done in France and that she was waiting for his decision. He hung up and was considering calling her right then and there, when he realized the time difference. It was 1930 and he assumed she'd meant she'd be back home, so that would make it… 0130 in The Netherlands. He knew that he could normally still call her, but she'd been very busy, flying around the globe and in meetings. And it was a business call, not personal. So he decided to call her in the morning and headed back to the table. Just in time to see Shanahan plant one on Carter.  _I really have great timing_ , Jack sighed inwardly.  He could only hope they wouldn't be like that the entire evening, because then he might be tempted to knock the cop out cold.

"How was everything on base, Sir?"

"Fine, Reynolds has everything under control. Lieutenant Morrison only has two cracked ribs and a twisted ankle, there was no unscheduled 'call' and all the teams reported in on schedule."

"That is indeed good news, O'Neill."

"Was that all?" Daniel piped up.

"I don't know what you mean, Danny Boy?"

"Just looks like you're leaving something out, that's all."

"Only important General-stuff, Space Monkey".

Daniel rolled his eyes at his answer, but was unrelenting. "So, no unexpected visits from unknown women for General Hammond?"

"Daniel", Jack sighed.

"Seriously Jack, who was she and what was she doing there? And why does she have clearance?"

"As a matter of fact, she actually did leave a message for me." Jack tried baiting him.

"Really?"

He nodded slowly, enjoying the banter with his friend despite his nosiness. "Yes, wanting to let me know she was back from Spain and reminding me to call."

"France, Jack. She was going to France!"

"Whatever, Danny." He smirked, his eyes twinkling.

"So did you?"

"Daniel, I have no idea what you're talking about. I can't read your mind, ya know?"

Sam snickered at the General's comment, had she not been thinking the same thing a few days ago?

"I believe Daniel Jackson was asking if you had placed a phone call or not."

Daniel turned towards the Jaffa and nodded. "Yeah, thanks Teal'c."

"No, why?"

"You haven't called her? She was practically asking you to call her! Jack, I can't believe you," Daniel sighed.

"Dr. Jackson is right, General. But if you're not interested, I wouldn't mind…"

Jack scowled at Dr. Lee. "What, Doctor? You wouldn't mind what?"

Bill realized he had gone too far as soon as the words had left his mouth… "Nothing, General. It's just that, well… she's hot."

"Yeah," Pete chimed in.

Sam was secretly relieved that her General hadn't called the woman, but she was rather annoyed at Pete's statement.

"Excuse me?" Jack couldn't believe his ears. Did that lousy cop actually say that while almost drooling, in front of Carter? And what the hell did Dr. Lee think he was getting at?

"Oh come on, Jack. Even you must've seen that she was attractive?"

Jack looked at Daniel. Okay, he had been taunting him the entire time, but it actually looked like Daniel thought Jack should 'hook up' with Ilse. "Well, I guess…"

"I must concur with Daniel Jackson, O'Neill."

 _God, they all think the General should hook up with that woman!_ Even Teal'c thought she was attractive! Well… looking at Bill, maybe he'd rather have her to himself. Even Pete was a bit too eager, in Sam’s opinion…  God, this was so awkward!Okay, so maybe the woman was pretty,  but that didn't mean that General O'Neill had to go out with her or something. It hadn't been that long ago that he and Kerry had broken up, after all. Sam squirmed a bit in her chair. She'd thought it would be an uncomfortable evening with Pete and the guys – and let's not forget Bill – but she'd never imagined it to turn out like this.

"Seriously Jack, why didn't you call her?"

Because he's not interested in her, let it go already, Daniel! Sam knew she wasn’t supposed to think like that, she was engaged to Pete after all but still… She just wanted what’s best for the General, she thought, nodding to herself and smiling inwardly, content with her own thoughts.

Jack sighed theatrically and rolled his eyes. "Well Daniel, I thought I might let the poor woman get some shuteye. Seeing as it is the middle of the night for her."

"Oh, right. I thought you said she came back from France?"

"Well, she said she was done there, so I figured that meant that she was back home."

Daniel frowned in confusion. "Huh? Then where does she live?"

"I don't think that's any of your business, now is it Daniel?" Jack said, smirking. "Besides, you have nothing to worry about. I'll call her first thing in the morning."

"Good for you, Jack!"

"Well, more like good for Carter, I'd say," Jack said innocently, while he was still smirking on the inside. Now Daniel was utterly confused. Looking around the table, he saw Daniel wasn't the only one, ha! Dr. Lee looked like he was trying to figure out some difficult equation, Teal'c looked puzzled, Pete was literally scratching his head and Carter was biting her lip and looking like she was trying to figure out some alien device.

"I don't understand, Sir," she eventually said, breaking the silence.

"If all goes well, you'll have a few, um…" Jack looked around, the restaurant was quite crowded, so there was a good chance someone could overhear their conversation. And besides, the cop didn't have that high of a clearance. "Delmacs, a kara’kesh and perhaps a hara'kesh to play with," he smiled at her.

"What, really?" Daniel asked, mouth agape.

"But how, Sir?"

"I don't understand, what's he talking about, babe?"

Teal'c raised his brow skeptically. "O'Neill, has this woman procured such technology?"

"Indeed, Teal'c,” he grinned. “You’re right. She has been working for General Hammond for quite a while now, ever since she found a healing device," Jack explained patiently.

"So what, she searches for items for the SGC? Where do they come from?"

Jack shrugged and took a sip of his beer. "I don't know, Daniel. Mostly art dealers, but they probably originate from Egypt."

"You're saying she's an art dealer and that's why she came by? Because she found something?"

"It took you long enough," Jack grinned.

"Does this mean that we can actually keep them and don't have to send them to area 51, General?"

"That's exactly what it means, Dr. Lee."

"Can I help Colonel Carter with the research?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, kids. I'll call Ilse in the morning and tell her to go ahead with the negotiations, so hopefully we'll get it."

"What about the budget, Sir? I mean, that is why we are here after all. How would you explain that in the meeting?" Sam was curious about this; she'd seen the finances and was wondering how the General was going to get the money to buy the items. Not that he shouldn't go ahead with it! She couldn't wait to get her hands on a control crystal or hand device! She wasn't too fond of the idea to study the torture device, because it brought back too many memories of Jolinar… Not to mention the relief she felt upon learning that was why the woman had dropped by _._

"Don't worry about that, Carter. Hammond has been getting away with it for several years now."

"What did you call her?"

"Um, Carter?"

"No, no Jack. The woman!" Daniel nearly cried in frustration.

"Why?"

"Jeez, Jack, don't be so suspicious," he rolled his eyes at his friend.

"I believe O'Neill referred to her as 'Ilza', Daniel Jackson."

"Actually, it's 'Ilse', Teal'c. So close," he grinned.

Teal'c bowed his head in acknowledgement and took another sip of his soda.

"She's German?" Daniel asked, stunned.

"What makes you think that, Daniel? Wait, don't answer that. Why are we even talking about this?"

"Because her name is German, I think. And why not?"

Jack frowned and took a sip of his beer before answering. "Well, she's not. And there are a lot more interesting things to talk about."

"Actually, if she is just working for the SGC I was wondering…"

"No, I'm not giving you her number." Apparently, Dr. Lee really was interested in her, like hell he was getting her number! She'd probably kick his ass! Jack quickly turned the conversation to a different direction and was surprised to see Carter practically jump it. Was she uncomfortable about this? Maybe it brought back too many memories of when she was Tok'ra-ed by Jolinar? Crap! He should've been gentler telling her. Jack couldn’t belief how he’d practically told her she could play with a device similar as what had been used to torture her! Fuck!

* * *

Daniel asked him once more about Ilse at the end of the evening, in the elevator. Jack answered a few of his questions with smart remarks, without actually telling him anything about her. They didn't have to know everything about his life. Or hers. Teal'c went into the first room, the next one – a few doors down and across the hall - was for Carter and that cop and Daniel was still talking.

"Daniel, can it. I'll call her tomorrow and I'll let you know if she can get the items, okay? Now go to your room." Jack gave him a soft push in the right direction and glanced back at Carter and the cop. He was opening the door and Carter turned to look at Jack.

"Carter, a word?"

"Can't it wait until tomorrow, we just want to go to bed," Pete complained as he leaned against the doorpost.

 _Of course you do_ , he thought, glaring at Shanahan. He didn't even want to go there. It had been the reason Jack had taken the room farthest from them; he didn't want to risk overhearing them… make love.The thought alone made him shudder and sick to his stomach. He didn't want to think about Carter with a guy, especially not in bed, while they were…  _Not going there!_

"It's all right, Pete. You go in; I'll be there in a minute, right Sir?"

Jack nodded and waited until her fiancé went inside. He jerked his head to the side and she followed him, so they were standing a few feet away from the door. He'd almost taken her by the arm, but he didn't want to touch her. Well, no, of course he wanted to touch her. But as her CO and friend he shouldn't, that was the point. "Are you okay?"

"Sir?" She was wondering what he wanted to talk about, but she hadn't expected this.

"I didn't mean for you to be uncomfortable during dinner…" Jack started, but she interrupted him.

"I wasn't-"

"Ack! Carter, I've known you for a long time and I can tell when you're uncomfortable and you were tonight. It wasn't what I wanted…"

"Look, Sir, your private life is your private life. I have nothing to do with that-"

"What?"

"What, Sir?"

"What are you talking about?" He tilted his head and looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Sir?" Oh God, has she misinterpreted his question or blurred something out?Sam could feel her cheeks burning under his inquiry. He looked so handsome tonight, and especially now with his head tilted to the side a bit… it made him look like a curious little boy.  _Wait!_ That wasn't what this was about!Was the corner of his mouth quirking up? He was smirking!

"I was talking about how I told you about Ilse…"

So she had been right! Sam only just stopped herself from saying so when she realized he was still talking. Shaking her head she refocused her attention to her commanding officer standing before her.

"… you weren't as excited as I thought you'd be and that's when I realized how insensitive it was. So, I just wanted to make sure you were alright and tell you I'm sorry, I should've been more thoughtful about it." By now Jack was looking down, hands stuffed in his pockets and rocking on his feet.

Sam looked at her CO and saw how uncomfortable he was. That was so… sweet! She thought no one had noticed her unease when he'd mentioned the hara'kesh, but she should've known better. He always seemed to know when she was off her game, albeit a little late sometimes. She smiled. "Thank you, Sir. I'll admit I was a bit uncomfortable at the moment, but I really am fine."

Jack looked up at her blushing cheeks. She was smiling, that was a good sign. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and felt his mouth curl up from relief. This elicited a megawatt-smile from her that lit up the entire floor… and his heart. It was ridiculous that she could do that with just a smile! He nodded at her. "G'night Carter."

"Night, Sir."

* * *

" _Jack!"_

"Good morning Ilse," he smirked through his cell phone.

" _Actually, it's already afternoon here,_ General _."_

He winced at the emphasis she placed on his rank but continued with their conversation. "Right, I almost forgot. I got your message last night and almost called, when I remembered the time difference. You are back home right?"

" _Yes, why?"_

"That's why I didn't call last night. But of course you could've stayed in France…"

" _That's still the same time zone, Jack."_  She laughed.  _"Or should I call you General?"_

"Hmm… I don't know…"

" _General O'Neill? Jack? General?"_

"General Jack?"

" _Oh please!"_  Ilse was giggling now _. "So, why_   _didn't you tell me?"_

"I kind of forgot, I guess. I did tell Lily, didn't I?" Jack asked her, a little shame creeping in his voice.

" _Don't think so, she would've told me. But I'll ask her tomorrow, when we're having lunch."_

"You do that; tell her I asked about her."

" _Sure thing. So what was that all about yesterday?"_

"Oh, having a little bit of fun."

" _Teasing your friends?"_

"Yeah _._ "

He heard her snicker at the other end of the line and smirked again. He hadn't realized how much he missed just talking to her. They'd always gotten along great, even when she was younger.

" _Oh crap. I have to hurry, Jack. I have an appointment in ten minutes and it's a fifteen-minute drive. Is this a social call or…"_

"Can't drive and call at the same time?"

" _Of course I can, but I'm still applying makeup."_

"Ah! Well, actually I called to tell you to go ahead and open negotiations…" Jack murmured before trailing off.

Knock, knock.

"Looks like I have to make this quick as well. Hold on, someone's at the door." He walked to the door and opened it to see Daniel and Carter standing in front of him.

"Ready for breakfast, Sir?" Sam asked him, while giving him an onceover. He was wearing sweats and a tight, white tank.  _How does he keep that tan of his? He looks so hot!_

"Not yet, Carter. If you'll excuse me," he motioned to the phone in his hand.

Daniel and Carter nodded while walking in to his room and sitting on the small couch.

"Yes, I'm back."

" _So you want me to go ahead? For all three items?"_

"Yes, is it alright if I'll email you the specifics? Carter and Daniel are waiting for me for breakfast…"

" _Sure, that's fine. Call me back later if you have more time? Then we can have a social call,"_ she smiled.

"Yeah, sure you betcha. Talk to you later! Bye Ilse." He hung up the phone and looked at the two pairs of blue eyes staring at him. "It's done. I told her to go ahead, so I'll let you two know when I know more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll take a quick shower and get my dress blues."

Sam and Daniel nodded, got up and went to the door. "We'll check on Teal'c and then head to the restaurant, okay Jack?"

"Fine, Danny!"

"I really wished he stopped calling me that," Daniel sighed.

"I think the General only calls you that because he knows you hate it," Sam giggled.

* * *

Today's meetings were mostly for Carter, Dr. Lee and Daniel, but unfortunately Jack's presence was also required. Thankfully no one asked him any questions, which really was something to be thankful for because Jack hadn't listened to a word. He was lost in his thoughts.

He kept wondering why he didn't tell Ilse about his promotion and taking command of the base. It was something to be proud of; making General, that is. Especially since most people he knew were sure he'd never make it, most of them probably wondered how the hell he'd even made Colonel. He knew his ex-wife, Sara, certainly wouldn't have thought he'd make General. Jack had always made it a point to 'stick it to the Man' and had never thought about becoming 'the Man'. Besides Carter, Daniel and Teal'c Ilse and Lily were probably the only ones who thought he could do it. And yet he hadn't told them.

Not telling Ilse he could probably get away with, she hadn't made a big deal out of it… but Lily wouldn't be so forgiving. No, his little sister would be hurt he didn't tell her. He knew everyone from the SGC thought he didn't have any family left and he didn't have any family members listed as contacts. His mother had died a long time ago, over twenty-five years ago. His father hadn’t been able to handle his wife's death and had started drinking more and more. Jack had let him drown his sorrow, but after a while he’d told his father to go do something with his life, rather than drink it away.

Oh and did his father do something… he'd said he'd go back to Ireland, visit family members and perhaps travel around Europe a bit. So it was quite a surprise when he'd called Jack telling him he had a little sister! Apparently his father had found a woman in The Netherlands, gotten together with her – ruining her marriage in the process – and she'd gotten pregnant. At first Jack was stunned, a bit horrified too if he was honest, but when he went over to meet his father's new family he'd gotten smitten with his little sister. Lily was a beautiful baby and if her half-sister's – Ilse – looks were anything to go by she'd stay that way.

His father's new wife, Anna, was actually really nice and her and Jack had gotten along great. He'd made sure to visit at least a few times a year, to get to know his little sister a bit better. He and Ilse had gotten along great as well, so after a few years he'd taken Charlie with him – he'd told Sara to take a long vacation with her sister while he'd take care of Charlie and visit his family. Charlie was just a few years younger than Ilse and a few years older than Lily. Jack smiled when he remembered how quizzed Charlie looked when he was told that the little girl was in fact his aunt! Jack’s father had died when Lily was still a toddler, but he’d made sure to stay in touch with his half-sister and her half-sister. After Jack's father had come in Anna's life, she'd divorced her husband – Ilse's father – and he'd gotten custody over Ilse, so Ilse only visited every other weekend but those visits had decreased when she was in her teens…

Not long after that her father had died in a work-related accident so Ilse had moved back in with her mother and Lily. Ilse had been a bit of a rebel at the time but it was pretty much harmless, since her grades didn't suffer and Jack – being in black ops – didn't have any trouble looking through her tough exterior. She'd started flirting with him when she was sixteen or something, even though he was in his thirties. He had encouraged her to get a part-time job, since she was – according to her own statements – in dire need of money. Once she'd gotten a job in a supermarket and passed her year – unlike her 'friends' – it didn't take too long for her to straighten herself out. With new friends and co-workers and her mother's attention she’d gotten back on track.

The flirting, however, never stopped. And since Jack thought it was pretty harmless he'd let her. Thinking about it now, he realized that somewhere along the line he'd gotten used to it and sometimes started it himself: it was just for fun between them, it was safe. They were like family, perhaps not blood related to each other, but both to Lily – who thought it was quite amusing to see her half-brother and half-sister in a flirty banter. If he had been a few years younger – or Ilse a few years older – and Lily wasn't their half-sister, there was a good chance they would get together, or at least try, he mused. They were a lot alike and yet so different in many ways. But they knew each other through and through, just like with Lily. Or at least all three of them had known each other through and through…

Only now he realized how little he had spoken to the two of them lately. His work at the SGC had given him a permanent base, but had also consumed a lot of his free time. Not to mention being 2IC of a complete base gave a lot of responsibilities. And in the first year everything had been strange and he had still been coping with the loss of Charlie and Sara's divorce. Lily, Ilse and himself had stayed in contact though, but mostly through phone calls, emails or letters unless one of them had been in the US and could visit. And now that he had taken command of the base, his spare time had gotten even sparser.

It had been months when he'd last seen Lily; actually that was probably right after she'd given birth to his little niece, Milou. _Damn, it really had been too long!_ She emailed him every now and then, sent pictures and kept him updated, but he really should visit some time soon. Lily's sister, Ilse, on the other hand, he saw more frequent. Mostly because she was always traveling for her work and would hop by every now and then. Jack decided that Ilse was right; he would call her some time later this week and he would also call Lily. He would ask Walter to find him some time off in his schedule so he could go visit them abroad. He really did want to see his little niece in the flesh!

* * *

By Sunday night Jack had lost all his patience with that  _cop_. He was just plain annoying. It didn't have anything to do with the fact how he kept groping Carter in front of the rest of them. Okay, so maybe he wasn't groping  _per se_ , but he kept throwing his arm around her waist or shoulders and pulled her against him. Or kept holding her hand; who did that nowadays anyway? And sometimes the bastard kissed her or nuzzled her neck and Carter let him. It was disgusting.  _Yeah, really not good for my appetite or my sanity_ , Jack thought, while excusing himself. He just had to get away before he would punch the younger man.

The words had barely left his mouth when his phone rang. Fumbling in his pockets he finally found the damn thing and looked at the screen. He didn't recognize the number, but the prefix told him the number originated in the Netherlands. He'd talked to Ilse the other day and didn't expect to hear from her within the week, so it was probably his little sister, Lily, calling to scold him for not telling her about making brigadier general and taking command of the base. For a moment he thought about ignoring her call, but he could never do that. He sighed, looked up – and saw his team, the cop and Dr. Lee looking back expectantly – and accepted the call before bringing the phone to his ear.

"O'Neill," he barked. Maybe it could scare her off or perhaps silence her, so she wouldn't scold him.

" _Goedenavond, u spreekt met dokter Boer van het-"_

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit rusty, could we perhaps have this conversation in English?" Who could be calling him at this hour if it wasn't Lily or Ilse? He really was a bit rusty, but it sounded seriously like a doctor from a hospital…

" _Of course, I will try. I'm looking for Jack O'Neill?"_

"Speaking," he sighed, rubbing his face with his free hand. He could see Daniel and Carter looking at him strangely and Teal'c was arching his eyebrow. The other two men had a curious expression plastered on their face.

" _I'm Doctor Boer and am calling on behalf of a Lily O'Neill?"_

 _Crap!_  Jack could feel all the blood leaving his face and he could swear the room was spinning a bit. This wasn't the place to be having this type of conversation. He had already turned his back on his friends and their companions – so they probably wouldn't have seen his face, which was a good thing because he knew he would look like he'd seen a ghost – and started walking towards the lobby so he could sit down.

"Yes?"

" _She came in very early this morning; she had been in a car accident and was complaining about…"_

Jack plumped himself down on a chair and only heard half of what the doctor was telling him. Most of the terminology he was using was lost on him. His little sister had been in a car accident!

"…  _so she was very lucky to have such minor injuries from such a severe crash. One of my colleagues, however, noticed that some of her complaints couldn't have been caused by the accident. After a thorough examination we found the cause and it doesn't look good…"_

* * *

"Where did Jack go?" Daniel kept looking around the room, but he couldn't see him.

"I think the General left to take his phone call."

"I know that Sam, but he’s been gone for over half an hour. I doubt he's still on the phone, why didn't he come back?"

"Maybe he was tired and went to his room," Pete suggested.

"O'Neill would not undertake such action without informing anyone, Pete Shanahan."

Daniel and Sam knew the Jaffa and could hear the irritation in his voice and they saw the concern on his face.

"Perhaps we should go to the lobby, I think I saw him go there," Sam said to her teammates. She'd hardly finished her sentence when Daniel took off in the direction she'd suggested.

Daniel reached the lobby first and after a quick scan he saw his friend sitting in a corner in the back; the one place that could give him a total view of the room he was in, while having his back towards the wall. But that wasn't what surprised him. Jack was a highly trained soldier; of course he would pick a strategic place to sit so he could survey the room for any danger. What surprised Daniel was that Jack was doing anything but surveying the room. Instead he had his head in his hands, while his elbows were resting on his knees. His cell phone lay forgotten on the table in front of him. "Jack?"

"What is it, Daniel?" Jack's voice sounded muffled, because his head was still resting in his hands. He didn't look up at the sound of his friend's voice and thus missed the concerned look Daniel was giving him. He had other things on his mind. Like his little sister, lying in a hospital bed while Ilse was nowhere to be seen or heard from. That was the reason the doctor had called him; Ilse was her first emergency contact, but after trying a few times every hour and not getting anywhere Lily had left her a message and convinced someone from the nightshift to call Jack. She knew he couldn't be there for her right now, but she wanted him to know and perhaps he could explain it to Ilse. That was a conversation he didn't want to have.

"Jack, are you alright?"

"Peachy, just want some time alone to think."

Now Daniel really was concerned. Jack wanted to be alone to  _think_? Not that he was incapable of it, anything but actually, but for him to admit that's what he wanted was enough to concern Daniel. He looked up to see Sam and Teal'c coming their way, but Daniel decided to wave them off. Jack obviously didn't want to talk to anyone – not that he wouldn't try – so it wouldn't be of any use for them to stay. "Jack, what's this about?"

"What?"

"You aren't acting like yourself, Jack. Was it because of the phone call? Who was it?"

"Daniel, I'm fine!"

"Riiight, that's why you're sitting here with your face in your hands…"

Jack rubbed his hands over his face and looked up at Daniel. "It's nothing Daniel,"  _just some bad news about my half-sister – whom I've never mentioned to any of you – she's very ill and could die and she asked me to call her sister to explain it to her. But other than that, I'm just peachy._

"Jack, you've been sitting here for almost an hour."

 _Crap_ , he hadn't realized he'd been gone that long. No wonder Daniel had come looking for him! He must've been thinking about this for about forty five minutes… he glanced back at the restaurant and could just see Teal'c looking back at him and a tuft of Carter's blond hair across the Jaffa. This meant that her fiancé would be sitting to her right, but he couldn't see the cop's head because he was shorter than Carter – which was just pathetic.

Daniel misinterpreted his look and drew his own conclusions. "Jack, if this is about Sam… and Pete; I can only imagine what it must be like for you to be sitting there and watching the two of them-"

"What? That's not what this is about, Daniel." He snapped, glaring at his friend.

"Come on Jack, don't tell me you're okay with all of that. They even unnerve  _me_ , so they surely must be getting under your skin. I can understand that you needed some 'air,' so to speak, but you really should be getting back."

"Trust me Daniel, it's not about that."

"Jack, it's okay. I know how you feel about Sam and-"

"Damn it Daniel, not everything is about Carter!" Jack's raised voice and his getting up from his seat startled Daniel. Jack grabbed his phone, searched for Ilse's number and called her. "I'm going to my room, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait, Jack!" Daniel tried, after getting over his initial shock, but it was too late. He'd never seen an outburst like that from Jack… well, of course there were those times he had been mildly outraged by some alien or a decision or situation under General Hammond's command, but it had never been directed at him. He'd even gone so far as saying not everything was about Sam. Jack could've fooled him; Daniel was pretty sure almost everything Jack did was about Sam or somehow involved Sam, directly or indirectly. Sighing, he walked back to their table and told the others that Jack had retreated to his room for the night. He knew Sam and Teal'c immediately sensed his unease about this but he gave them a shrug, letting them know he'd tried and not gotten anywhere but that Jack wasn't in any trouble. As far as he knew, anyway.

* * *

Sam was a bit worried about the General. He'd hardly said a word since he left last night, after taking that phone call. But Daniel had told her that he didn't want to talk about it and that Daniel didn't know what to think. He'd seemed absent the entire meeting and it was a good thing that they had developed a silent communication over the years of working in the field together or else he wouldn't have been able to answer any of the questions directed at him. She knew he could be absentminded during briefings and debriefings when he thought something was boring and that he would glaze over every now and then. But she had never seen him truly absentminded. It was like he really wasn't there with them. His body was there – she knew it was him, because it was the same body she had been dreaming about last night after having sex with Pete – but he wasn't taking anything in, his mind was obviously not there.

He also looked very tired and she could tell that he was thinking about something totally unrelated, but only because she knew him so well. She was sure no-one but his old team had noticed. And now they were getting ready to go back to Colorado Springs. She'd already finished packing half an hour ago, but Pete was taking his sweet time. She'd hoped they would be done quickly, so she could talk to the General before they had to leave. But apparently that wasn't going to happen, since Pete needed her help to pack. But he wouldn't actually let her help, because he claimed to have a system and she was interfering with it. She was sure her system was way faster and more efficient, but he wouldn't let her take over. What else was new?

"Pete, if you don't want me to help you, I can just wait for you in the lobby."

"What? No babe, you can't leave me here."

"Why not? There aren't any monsters in the closet or under the bed, trust me I checked," she joked.

"Very funny, honey. I'm almost done, I promise. Besides, didn't you say we would leave in," he glanced at his watch, "Half an hour?"

"Well, yes, but I was thinking…"

"Stop it, you don't have to worry. We'll be right on time."

Sam sighed inwardly and sat down in a chair. She was annoyed, extremely annoyed. Would it be like this if they were living together?  _No, of course not!_ That was different; this was more like a getaway or a vacation. She wondered if it would be like this every time they’d go on vacation, which wouldn’t be often considering their jobs. She knew she couldn’t expect everyone to be as trained as she was in packing a bag. She was a military brat, for crying out loud! That meant she was used to pack up everything in less than ten minutes. Normal people weren't. And isn't that exactly what she wanted, a normal life? Normal people always bicker when packing bags or cleaning or something like that. Or at least, that's what she was told. Sam glanced at her watch, what was taking him so long? She already knew there was no way she would be able to talk to the General in private today.

* * *

Daniel glanced at Jack. He was still fidgeting with his cell phone and kept looking at his watch. Daniel knew that Jack hadn't been paying full attention to today's meeting and that there were times where he wasn't listening at all. Was it still about last night? Had he been right? Was it about Sam and Pete? Or did it have something to do with that phone call? What had he said, again? Something about being rusty, asking if they could speak English. He didn't even know Jack spoke another language… at the moment he'd thought perhaps it was that woman, what was her name again? Oh, right, Ilse. Perhaps it had been her, since there was a good chance she wasn't American.

She probably lived in Europe, her name was of German origin – he'd looked it up online the other night – and she didn't have a particular British, Irish or Scottish accent, which meant there was a good chance English wasn't her first language. Then again, she didn't really have an accent at all. But Jack had told them she would call within the week to let them know if she'd made the purchase, so if it had been her she would've told Jack that either she had the items or not. Of course it would be a shame if she didn't get them, but it was no reason for Jack to behave so strangely. And he'd said he would tell them if he'd know more. So it probably wasn't her. Then who would call him, speaking another language – any other than an alien, since they usually don't have phones. Perhaps it was someone from the IOA? But they all spoke English, didn't they?

"It would seem Colonel Carter and her fiancé have finally graced us with their presence," Teal'c's low voice announced.

Jack, Daniel and Bill all looked up at his comment. That was the first time ever that Teal'c showed his annoyance so clearly!

"Sorry we're late, Sir, but Pete had to pack all of his-"

"We're not late, we still have a few minutes!" Pete exclaimed.

"Whatever, Carter," Jack said simultaneously. They all looked at him for being so blunt, but he didn't notice because he was looking at his watch. It was his last chance to get a hold of Ilse, before he’d be back at the SGC. They all walked towards the driver after Jack had made a hand gesture and he purposely trailed behind them, trying to call Ilse.

Sam strained her ears and slowed down a bit to try to get within range of the General. She glanced over her shoulder and saw him dial a number and heard him sigh after a few seconds. Apparently no one was answering.

"O'Neill, call me back ASAP," she heard him bark into the phone.

Jack almost threw the phone against the wall in frustration, but he knew he needed to keep it on him, in case she would call back. She probably wouldn't call before he boarded the plane and with his luck from the last few days, she'd probably call while he was on the plane. She'd leave a message, he'd try to call her back but she wouldn't answer and then she would call him back while he would be at the SGC with minimal cell service and they would keep up that little game for a few hours…


	5. Quarantine

"Sir?"

"What is it, Walter?" Jack sighed and looked up to see Sgt. Harriman peeking through the door.

"The alarm came from the science labs and-"

"For cryin' out loud, don't tell me Carter blew something up!"

The Sergeant shook his head as he stood in the doorway. "No, Sir, it was Dr. Lee. Apparently one of the plants brought back through the gate last week – after the visit to the Alpha site – has released spores which seem to trigger rashes and extreme allergic reactions to people who normally aren't allergic."

"And that's why he asked for quarantine? A complete lockdown of the SGC?"

"Yes, Sir. He's afraid of what the effects will be for people who  _are_  susceptible for pollen and doesn't want this plant to get its spores out into the world."

"Yeah, I guess that's a good enough explanation," Jack muttered with an eye roll.

"So we proceed?"

"Yes, Walter, complete lockdown of the  _entire_  mountain. Who knows, perhaps someone already brought it up to NORAD. Call everyone who has been here and left since the arrival of the plant and see if they show any symptoms. Confer with the CMO. And get someone to clean up the mess. Check the Alpha site to hear if they had any problems with the plant, find out where it came from and put a notification in the dialing computer and if nothing is wrong there, then contact our allies and off-world teams to notify them and tell them to report to the Alpha site."

Jack watched as Walter wrote down the instructions and then took his leave. Jack sighed again; this was going to be a hell of a cleanup. He could have sworn they had formed new protocols for plant life and such, after the last crisis. Apparently they needed to update the updated protocols. Or maybe he should just send Dr. Lee to an abandoned planet to conduct his plant research there… He stretched his back before going to the commissary to eat some cake or red jello. He saw Daniel and Teal'c sitting there, but there was no sign of Carter. "Hey kids, what are you up to?"

"You seem to be in a better mood, Jack…" Daniel mumbled without looking up from his book.

"I am consuming my midday meal, O'Neill."

"Yes, I can see that," Jack stared at the huge plate covered with more food than he had seen in the entire kitchen. "Where's Carter?"

"Colonel Carter was conducting an experiment and did not feel the need to acquire nourishment, even though Daniel Jackson insisted."

"Hm… I'll drop off some jello on my way there," Jack mused, while eating his own. His mind wandered off to the quarantine. This meant he'd probably have even more trouble contacting Ilse or Lily, since base reception sucked unless he used the landline. He'd try calling them both and leave them that number, in case he couldn't reach them.

"What?" Daniel couldn't believe his ears. Jack had been acting strange all day yesterday, on their way back to Colorado Springs and he had been sure it was because of Sam and Pete. Now Jack wanted to stop by Sam's lab willingly?

"I have to talk to Dr. Lee – I swear he attracts almost as much trouble as Felger – about his plant problem, so I'll be there anyway."

"Plant problem?"

Jack nodded slowly. "Yes, apparently one of his plants has released spores and they cause horrible rashes and extreme allergic reactions, so you better stay away. Funny thing is the plant has been checked out on the Alpha Site before being transported here last week."

"What? I was just there, how bad is it?" Daniel was panicking now. Ever since Janet had given him injections for his allergies, instead of the pills, his allergies were less severe. He didn't want them to come back with a vengeance!

"I'm pretty sure the effect was immediate, but you could always call him to ask. Or go by the infirmary to get checked out," Jack winked. "However, this little problem also means we're on lockdown. No one in and no one out!"

Daniel wanted to protest, but Jack had already left the table and was grabbing a bowl of blue jello before leaving the commissary. Perhaps that was why he was willing to stop by Sam, now that they were on lockdown and there was no Pete in sight… "This sucks."

"Indeed."

* * *

"Watcha doing?"

Sam looked up, startled at his sudden appearance. "Hi Sir."

"Brought you jello, since Teal'c and Daniel said you refused to leave."

 _Damn, this looks a lot like my dream from the other night!_ Sam looked around her lab nervously, wondering if this was really happening.

"Something wrong, Carter?"

"No Sir, everything is fine. Thanks for the jello."

"I was on my way here, because Dr. Lee has a plant that has released evil spores, so we're on lockdown. Looks like it'll be a while." With those last words Jack walked away, leaving her to eat her jello.

Sam didn't realize how hungry she was until she grabbed the bowl. It didn't take her long to finish it and she started thinking about what the General had said. At the same time, she heard a new email coming in and she opened it. Great, they were stuck here for at least three days, according to the message!She sighed, wondering how the hell did Bill always got in this kind of trouble? Perhaps she could offer her help so they could get out sooner… Sam reread the mail, picked up her phone and called Pete letting him know she was locked up for three days. She was glad he wasn't picking up his phone, since he would be pissed because he still had a few days off. She left him a voicemail, before calling Dr. Lee's lab to offer her help.

After she was geared up in her hazmat suit, she entered Bill’s lab to see the infamous plant. Bill had gladly accepted her offer and he’d also called a few other scientists asking for their help, so far it seemed she was the only one present. With the exception of Felger of course, but she wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing…

* * *

"The General is on the phone, Dr. Jackson."

"Oh, er… that's okay, Walter, I'll just wait inside," Daniel said before proceeding to Jack's office.

"You can't," Walter apologized. "He asked not to be disturbed."

"I doubt he'll mind, Walter." Before Walter could do anything, Daniel had already walked up to the door and opened the door.

"…sure? Because I would understand if-" Jack looked up the moment he heard the door opening. He had his full General-glare ready for Walter, but instead Daniel walked in. "Daniel-"

"Yeah, Walter told me you were on the phone, it's fine. I'll just wait 'til you're done."

"Daniel. Leave."

"What?" Daniel was doing a perfect goldfish imitation with his mouth opening and closing.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed, so go."

Daniel looked at Jack's hands, which were ushering him to go away. His gaze went up to his friend's face and only now he saw how tired and worn he looked. What had happened between lunch and now? He saw the change in his expression and darted out of the room before Jack could move. Even Daniel knew what that look meant.

Jack waited until Daniel had left to finish his conversation with Ilse. Somehow, luck had been on his side and he'd finally gotten a hold of her. She had already talked to Lily and even had new information Jack hadn't heard yet. He had thought about insisting on a second opinion, but apparently Ilse had beaten him to it. In a few hours – when it was morning abroad – Lily had an appointment with a specialist for a second opinion, but it didn't look good. It was hard for him to imagine what he would do if this specialist would give the same diagnosis. He knew Ilse was pretty worn, he felt worn himself, and he hadn't been sitting in a hospital all day listening to his little sister and her doctor explaining everything and taking care of his little niece at the same time.

" _Jack?"_

Jack got pulled out of his thoughts by Lily's voice.  _Am I imaging it or does she sound different?_  Apparently, Ilse had given the phone to their half-sister so she and Jack could talk, but Jack could've sworn Lily usually sounded more upbeat. Then again, it wasn't like she had a reason to be cheerful.

"Hey Sis, how are you," doing?  _No, that's a stupid question Jack!_  "Dealing with all of this?"

" _Right now, I'm not,"_ he could hear the smirk in her voice.

"I could understand if you wanted to rest, ya know?"

_“Oh no, you're not getting off the hook that easily, mister!"_

"I don't know what you're talking about."

" _Is that so,_ General _?"_ Lily put emphasis on his new rank and drawled it out on purpose.

"Crap, I'm busted, aren't I?" he smiled sheepishly, even though he knew she couldn’t see him.

" _Yeah, sure you betcha!"_

Jack smiled at her phrase, it seemed Lily and Ilse were both using his phrases nowadays and for some reason it made him proud. He listened to her ramble on and on about how disappointed she was for him not telling until he zoned out. He loved his little sister, he really did, but she could go on forever.

"…  _so I really think you should just tell her, Jack."_

"Huh?"  _Yeah, real intelligent Jack_ , he scolded himself.

" _You were zoning out on me, weren't you?"_

He could swear she was telepathic or something, because she could always catch him zoning out even while she was miles away! "Just a bit." Lying would only make it worse.

" _I was saying that I really think you should tell Carter how you feel."_

"What? How the hell did you go from scolding me for not telling you about my promotion to  _that_?"

" _I could explain, but you'd just zone out again. I just really want you to tell her."_

He wondered why it was so important to her but she just told him that she wanted him to be happy, that he deserved to be happy with a woman he loved. That he should take a chance and tell her he loved her, before she went off and married some other guy and Jack would be too late. Jack tried telling her it was none of her business, but in the end, she played her last card: life was too short, she'd just found that out. Like emotional blackmail wasn't convincing enough, he could hear Ilse chiming in and saying she would do anything if he would just get up and tell Carter how he felt. He really hated how they could always get him to do things he didn't want to do, but if he was completely honest he'd already been thinking about this long and hard. Wondering if he should tell Carter that he still loved her, that his feelings never really stayed in the room and probably grew even stronger over the last four years.

He'd been so conflicted when she'd shown him that engagement ring, which by the way was totally gaudy – which would be perfect if Shanahan had been proposing to let's say Hathor or some other Goa'uld, but it was not Carter. He had wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, screaming at her that she couldn't marry the cop! But he hadn't, instead he'd kept it vague not wanting to influence her decision. She was young, smart as hell, beautiful and could have anyone she wanted and he couldn't ask her to keep her life on hold for the chance that they might someday be more than CO and 2IC, more than good friends, lovers hopefully. At least, that is what he'd thought, but now… He'd felt his heart break when the box had snapped shut and every time he saw her with that cop, he could feel more cracks forming in what remained of his heart.

After saying his goodbyes and promising to call the next day, he hung up the phone and walked out of his office.

* * *

"Babe, you're home!" Pete exclaimed, getting up from the couch to hug her. "It was about time, I was afraid you'd never get out of that mountain!"

"I told you it could be a while," Sam started.

"A while, yes. But not nine days!"

"We had to be sure everything was gone, that it was safe to leave the mountain and that no one was affected anymore." Sam sighed when Pete started kissing her and pulled back.

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm just not in the mood, Pete."

"Babe, we haven't seen each other in nine days!" He kissed her again.

Sam half-heartedly responded, before pulling away. "I know, but I'm just exhausted and all I want right now is to take a long hot bath and jump in bed."

"I hear you," he grinned, waggling his eyebrows.

"Alone, Pete. I've been cooped up under the mountain with a lot of people for far too long, I just need some peace and quiet while soaking in the tub. After that all I want to do is sleep, and I really mean sleep." She could tell he was disappointed, but right now she could care less. Pete was wonderful, she loved him but she needed time to relax and to think. 

Sam padded to her bedroom, grabbed clean underwear and a towel, and closed the curtains before moving to her en suite bathroom. Closing the door, she turned on the faucet and hung up her stuff. The tub was taking its sweet time filling up, so she jumped into the shower stall and quickly washed her hair and body. By the time she was done, the tub was half filled. Lowering herself into the hot water, Sam felt her muscles relax. She reached over and lit a few scented candles – lavender, because she needed to relax. What the hell had happened the last few days? Trying to clear her head, she slipped under the water holding her breath and the moment the need for oxygen overcame her she resurfaced. Running her hands over her face, her thoughts immediately returned to the General. She felt her body starting to shake as memories of their conversation six days ago came back to her.

_He entered her lab, asking if they could talk. That immediately sent alarm bells ringing in her mind, the General never wanted to talk – well, he never came out and said it aloud. To say that she was shocked when he told her his feelings were still the same as four years ago, if not stronger, was an understatement! It looked like they were finally having that talk she had wanted when she told him about Pete's proposal – when she'd asked him "what if things had been different". Somehow, the talk had reminded her about 'their' conversation on the Prometheus. Like her subconscious had told her then – in the form of the then-Colonel – he would always be there for her if she'd let him, but he would never ask her to give up her career. He never asked her to break it off with Pete, when she asked him why he had been so vague when she told him about the proposal, he said that he wanted her to make her own choices; he didn't want to influence her decision. According to him she was kind, compassionate, a kickass soldier, beautiful, intelligent and could have any man – and she was sixteen years his junior. He could not ask her to keep her life on hold for 'someday'. She deserved it all: someone who loved her and could show his affection openly, someone to hold her at night, someone to come home to, to start a family with…_

To be honest, Sam had almost cried when he told her all that and more. She couldn't remember for the life of her when he had talked that much in a row! His eyes had been locked on hers as soon as he'd started and they never wavered, those chocolate brown eyes had shone with honesty and something she had only seen on the other side of a force field, years ago.

She reached over and added some more foam and warm water to her bath. The shaking had subsided and she felt confident enough to shave her legs and keep her hand steady. While she was shaving her legs, her mind wandered back to  _that_  day in her lab. At first she'd been touched and she felt hope flare up after his admission, but then she started thinking that maybe he was right. Especially as some of the things he'd said reminded her of her stay at the Prometheus, things her 'father' and the 'then-Colonel' had told her – she deserved to be happy and she deserved more from life than what she was currently getting. Pete offered it all to her and he offered it right now.  _Well, Sam, if we're being so honest to ourselves, perhaps you should admit that you were still too scared to ask what you really wanted to know_ , her own voice resonated in her head. The voice was right: she'd been too afraid to ask the General  _the_ question, probably the only one that really mattered. If he really loved her –which he’d never said aloud- then why hadn't he retired? Perhaps because they were both afraid it wouldn't work out, they were so different! But they also had a lot in common, she mused.

Sam pulled the plug, rinsed the foam of her body and grabbed her towel. It didn't matter anymore. She had hurt him, she was well aware of that. But dammit, had he not hurt her as well? Pete loved her – he had told her that many times, the General never explicitly said so – and he wanted to marry her. The General was her commanding officer; the only thing they had ever shared was a kiss when they were reverting to cavemen and a rather public confession that they cared more for each other than they were supposed to. All the while they had been having the conversation she had been wondering if he really was her safe bet? She still felt something more than friendship and a CO/2IC-relationship for him and it wasn't the feeling of them being family like she had with Teal'c and Daniel. At the end of the conversation, she had been more confused than prior to their talk and for some strange reason she had been mad at him. For not doing something, for not trying to pressure her into leaving Pete, for not making the decision for her, for not retiring, for not kissing her, for a lot of things – she knew it was irrational, but her anger had made her do something she might regret…

_He was looking at her, while she was processing everything. Thinking everything over and over in her mind. Imagining every possibility and every failure, all the consequences that would follow… he was staring now. The General wanted her to say something, but what? Where was that rage coming from? It was ridiculous to be angry with him, right? He looked expectantly at her, always thinking she'd know the answer. Always letting her make the decisions when it came to the two of them._

_"Cart- Sam?"_

_"I- I, I don't know what to say."_

_He sighed, that probably wasn't what he wanted to hear. Dammit, why had he wanted to talk to her about this in the first place? It confused her, she thought she'd made her mind up weeks ago when she'd accepted Pete's proposal. It had taken her two weeks, that's true, but she had thought really long and hard about it – Samantha Carter was a scientist, always analyzing, it was only normal for her to think everything through before making a decision. And now the General had decided to mess everything up! He should give her more time, to weigh her options… who was she kidding? They'd had eight_ years _! She knew she had been attracted to him the moment she walked into that briefing room and she fell for him shortly thereafter, but when had it turned to love she couldn't say. Was it love at first sight? Had it been love? Did she love him or was it an infatuation? She loved Pete and she didn't love the General in the same way – if it was love – she knew that._

_"It's too late, I made my choice. I'm going to marry Pete, I'm sorry."_

_With that, he had his answer and he turned on his heels before she dared to look up in his eyes. He was gone._

Had she made the right decision? She had expected the rest of the quarantine to be awkward, but it hadn't been. No more than lately, anyway. Their relationship had been strained since she had accepted Pete's proposal and it had continued to be strained, but it wasn't as awkward as she had feared. At least the dreams Sam had been having about the General were gone. That was a good thing! She didn't think the General had told Daniel and Teal'c - she wasn't going to tell anyone, not even Pete, it was private and she hoped the General felt the same way - about their conversation, because they carried on like nothing had happened, only showing slight irritation about the quarantine. Perhaps the General hadn't really expected her to choose differently?

"Stop it, Sam!" Her own voice echoed through the bathroom and she looked up at the mirror. She had to stop this, she decided. Grabbing her pajama's she slipped them on and went to bed, where Pete was already waiting for her. Pete, the man she was going to marry.


	6. Illusions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short S/P chapter and can be skipped if you don't want to read about the two of them together, in bed.

"Hmm," she moaned. She felt his mouth on her breast and let her hands slide in his hair.  _This definitely beats an alarm clock_ , she thought sleepily. Slowly, she guided his head down, down to where she really wanted his mouth and hands. His hands were sliding her panties and shorts down her legs and she automatically opened herself for him. She could feel him shifting his weight on the mattress, positioning himself between her legs and she pushed his head down. She moaned again, when she felt his lips kissing her clit and her eyes finally opened when his tongue darted out. Looking down she smiled at the gray head between her thighs and the idea of the General going down on her sent another surge of heat through her body, down to her core, making her arch her back.

"You like that, huh babe?" He smiled, looking up for a moment before continuing his work.

Sam blinked her eyes a few times and looked back at him. She tugged the short strands of hair, making his head snap up. He looked at her questioningly and all Sam could do was stare back at him, at Pete.  _Damn!_  She had been imagining it, she wasn't in bed with the General, it was Pete – her  _fiancé_.

"Is something wrong, honey?"

Had she not told the General that it was too late? She was with Pete now and she had been satisfied with her decision, no more erotic dreams starring a sexy General had plagued her for over a week. But now, now that she was back home, she had been imagining again! Realizing Pete was still waiting for an answer, she shook her head and guided his head back. This was her life, this wonderful man loved her and wanted to marry her. Looking down, she was wondering what the hell he was doing. The realization of the situation had worked like a cold shower and she was hardly aroused anymore and she was pretty sure he noticed it too. She'd stiffened and her moaning had stopped, but dammit, she wanted this! "Use your fingers," she whispered.

He moved a bit, before thrusting his fingers inside of her, she tensed and her body completely stilled. She wasn't ready and his fingers made her feel uncomfortable, her muscles tightened unconsciously making it worse. She hadn't expected him to just thrust his fingers into her...

"Sam?" Pete looked up, supporting himself with his free hand and looked at her, concerned. "Are you okay? I mean, if you don't want to… I mean, I'd understand, I just thought you wanted this too, you know?"

She sat up, cringing as the angle of penetration changed and she saw – and felt – him withdrawing his fingers. "I don't know, I thought I wanted too…" She started, but then shook her head and pulled his face closer to her to kiss him. She wanted this, dammit! She wasn’t going to let the General screw up her life, just because of that conversation! As soon as she thought that – thought about  _him_  – she felt arousal stirring in her belly. She opened her mouth and let Pete’s tongue in, deepening their kiss. He sat up on his knees, pressing his chest against hers and she circled his waist with one arm, pulling him closer. His hands were under the hem of her tank top, sliding it up until his hand found her breast. He was kneading it and rubbing his thumb over her still flat, unresponsive nipple.

Breaking the kiss, his mouth trailed down her neck all the while murmuring sweet nothings. His other hand slid down her back, cupping her ass and squeezing it. Sam opened her eyes and saw the bulge in his boxers. At least he was aroused enough for both of them, she thought. Sam was getting frustrated with her body and with Pete's attempts to arouse her. She just needed a bit more she decided and pulled his shirt over his head. Okay, so he isn't as toned as the General – or even Daniel – but that was all right, she didn't mind. Really, she didn't. He took this as a sign and pulled her top over her head as well, looking at her breasts and cupping them again before kissing her neck. Sam let her fingers trail down his chest, scraping his nipples with her nails to which he let out a strange, surprised "Sam?" She decided to ignore him and for once take the lead perhaps that would work for her. She worked her one hand down his body and cupped him through his boxers. He moaned against her neck and was already panting when she squeezed a bit and gently started rubbing him. A fleeting thought went through her head - he's panting because he is aroused, not because he isn't as fit as the General – and just thinking about  _him_  and his fitness and all the ways she wanted to test his stamina, turned her on more than she cared to admit.

She let her other hand trail down her own toned stomach, letting her trusty fingers make her moan and she felt a gush of wetness coming from her core. Carefully, she let one of her own fingers slide into her wetness and was satisfied enough to thrust in another one.

"Babe, what are you doing?" Pete asked incredulous as he heard her moan loudly, while her hand was alternating the pressure on his cock, making him thrust against her hand. Letting his eyes roam over the beautiful body in front of him –  _my fiancée_  – his eyes almost popped out when he saw her other hand thrusting hard into her wet folds. He grabbed her wrist and stilled it, before replacing her fingers with his own. He marveled at her wetness, a sheer contrast with moments before when she was almost completely dry as he had thrust his fingers into her.

However, he wasn't prepared for her to swat away his hand and using both her hands to push against his chest, making him tumble backwards on the bed. A "honey?" was all he could manage to say, before she climbed on top of him and pulled off his boxers. His erection sprang forward, glad to finally be free of its strained position and before he could do anything, she impaled herself on him. "God, Sam!" Her slick walls were gripping him hard, making his cock twitch and he started thrusting upwards when she steadied herself with her hands on his chest. He preferred to be in control, to press her down in the mattress as he fucked her, but this was quite a sight: Sam was riding him, hard and fast and the movements made her perfect breasts bounce up and down and he enjoyed the view. Not to mention the soft whimpers she made as he thrust into her and rubbed her clit, it was almost enough to make him come. He watched her throw her head back as the sensations his fingers brought her became too much and he felt her contract around him, the look on her face wanting him to screw her brains out.

Sam cried out an "Oh, God," as she came hard, after riding Pete's cock furiously, while her mind was thinking about the General. She felt a bit ashamed that she was thinking about  _him_  while she was with her fiancé, but it was the only thing that got her wet enough for Pete to fuck her like she wanted – needed. Coming down from her high, she was surprised when she realized that Pete had finally let her take the lead and be on top, but her surprise and satisfaction were short-lived.

"That good, huh babe?" Pete smirked, pleased with himself for doing that to her and he reached up to wipe some loose strands of hair out her face, before flipping them over. Now that she was under him, he grabbed her ass and thrust hard into her the way he liked to do her. Letting his hands trail down her legs, he pulled them up around his waist, while pushing his hard dick into her and sliding out in a repetitive movement. When he was satisfied with her position – completely naked, pinned under him, legs spread wide while encircling his waist and her being slightly out of breath – his hands grabbed hold of her shoulders, giving him the leverage to thrust hard into her wetness. He rested his head into the crook of her neck and continued his movements until he lost his rhythm and reached his climax, spilling inside of her.

Pete collapsed on top of her, trying to catch his breath and he felt her hand brushing his hair. Her skin was a bit damp from their little exercise, but her heart rate had already slowed down to a normal, regular beat while he was feeling spent. He rolled on his side, one hand on her toned stomach –  _she really has a great body and it's all mine_  – and the other supporting his head while he was looking at her. "Wow, that was great," he smirked. Her blue eyes looked at him and he saw a small smile forming on her lips. He cupped her still flushed cheek and bent over to kiss her lips. He let his hand slide down her smooth skin, down her neck and eventually let it rest, cupping her breast. He gave it a squeeze before turning on his back. "You should get cleaned up, your alarm will go off in a few."

Sam slowly got up and padded to the bathroom. He always did that, as soon as they were done he wanted her to clean herself up and then he would call out and-

"Sam, could you get me a wet cloth while you're there?"

 _Right on time_ , Sam thought, rolling her eyes. It was obvious he liked to be clean, just as obvious as that he wanted to be in control, she thought. For a moment it had looked like he would let her take the lead, but eventually he had taken back control. Well, it's not like she could blame him, after all: wasn't she the one who wanted to be in control for once? In her every day routine she was always the one in control, with the exception of her work. Although, nowadays she was in command of SG1, so that meant she was in control of her team. General O'Neill was a natural leader, a real alpha male – this brought back other memories from the first year of the SGC, which made her blush – and over the years, he had given her quite some autonomy while he was in command. That's probably one of the reasons she had no problems stepping up as team leader. It was a command structure thing, so in that way she wasn't in control. But her scientific work balanced that out, with her being in charge of her own experiments. Hearing her alarm clock go off, she jumped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, quickly drying off her body. Taking a cloth, she turned on the faucet and held it under the warm water. Putting on her robe, she went back to the bedroom, cloth in hand.

"Do you mind, babe? You really tired me out," Pete said as she tried handing him the cloth. While she was in the bathroom, he had only moved up the bed, now lying with his head by the headboard instead of the footboard. "Just… you know," he said, gesturing with his hands. "Then I'll try to get some sleep, I have to get up in less than two hours."

Sam sighed and reached over to clean his now flaccid dick, his balls and thighs.

"That feels good, honey," he sighed, leaning back letting her do her job.

"There, all clean." She stalked back to the bathroom to get rid of the cloth, grabbed some clothes and got dressed.

Pete watched as she got dressed, letting his eyes take in the sight of her well formed, naked body. He could feel something stirring inside of him, which he knew to be early arousal, but he also knew he needed more time to recuperate and that they didn't have enough time to go for another round. They almost never had, but that was okay, it'd been a good fuck.

"What? Is something wrong?" Sam asked him, feeling his eyes on her form.

"No, I was just thinking how good you look. Try to get home early tonight, because I missed you these past few days and I'm not particularly looking forward to you being too tired again. Not that this wasn't great, but I'd like us to… you know, tonight. And if there's time, we can do it again tomorrow morning," he chuckled.

Sam just nodded, smiled at him, yelled out a "See you tonight" and got in her car.


	7. Assumptions

After eating a quick breakfast in the commissary, Sam went to her lab to finish some paperwork. She still had half an hour before the debriefing about the quarantine. In the commissary, she had run into the General and she'd immediately felt flushed, but he hardly reacted, just saying "G'morning Carter" and a "enjoy your breakfast" before he left. This only served to make her feel more foolish. It was as if their conversation last week never happened, that he hadn't told her all those things and that she hadn't rejected him by choosing Pete over him. But it  _had_ happened and for some reason  _she_  was the one that felt awkward about it, not him. Running into him – she had literally bumped into him – had also triggered her feelings from earlier when she and Pete were having sex and it embarrassed her. It probably should be embarrassing, considering she’d been thinking of him when she had an orgasm with her fiancé…

Walking down the corridors, she started thinking about the last few days. Had she made the right decision in turning the General down, while she was obviously still attracted to him and couldn't stop thinking about him in intimate ways? Shouldn't she only feel that way about Pete? Maybe it's because it's forbidden to think about her CO like that, with the regs and all, which turned her on. She never thought of herself as someone who enjoyed being naughty or getting aroused by doing or thinking things she wasn't supposed to, but what if that was exactly the case? Didn't running in to General O'Neill confirm that she made the right choice, seeing as he hardly paid any attention to her? Or did he act like that because she had shot him down?  _This is getting frustrating!_

"Hey Sam," Daniel walked up behind her and fell into pace with her.

"Daniel!" She smiled at him. "How are you?"

"Good… why?" He eyed her suspiciously, while they stepped into the elevator.

"Just wondering how you were dealing with your newfound freedom," she grinned.

Daniel chuckled and told her that he’d actually stayed on base, to do some translations brought by one of the teams that had been stranded off-world during the quarantine. "How about you?"

"Oh, Pete was glad I was back and I really enjoyed a hot bath."

They reached sublevel 27 and both of them stepped out, on their way to the briefing room. Before she’d left her lab, Sam had grabbed the latest results from the analysis of the science labs.

"Well, if everyone is here, I think we can begin," Jack started as soon as Daniel and Carter walked in. "Carter?"

He heard her launch a techno babble speech about air pollution and pollen and what not, but he wasn't really listening. It was hard to act normal around her, after her rejection. Not that he’d really expected her to drop everything and jump him, but still… Of course, he'd hoped that she would reciprocate his feelings, but she had been quite clear: he was too late, she was marrying Shanahan. Jack knew he should be happy for her, he wanted to be happy for her because she found someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but he couldn't muster those feelings… not yet, anyway. Hopefully, in time he could. He better, or else he'd probably lose her as a friend. He didn't want that, did he? But could he still be her friend when she was starting a family that didn't include him, while all he wanted was to be with her? To love and make love to her? Could he get over her while she was still around him? Maybe Washington  _would_   _be_  good for him… Jack had never thought he'd hear himself utter – think – such thoughts and sighed.

"Sir?"

"What?"

Sam frowned at him, wondering why he was so absentminded during a rather important debriefing. "Never mind, Sir. As I was saying, the latest results show that the air has been completely filtered, as we'd already suspected."

Jack nodded and then Daniel was going on and on about blood results… wait, what? Since when was Daniel in charge of the blood results?

"Jack?"

"Just wondering why you're the one discussing this…"

"Oh, well, I practically spent the entire quarantine in the infirmary and when I checked in this morning they had their hands full, so I offered to take the file with me. The report was already done, it just needed to be told here, so…"

"Right, so everything is fine?" Jack asked, looking around the table and everyone nodded at him. "Good, I want you, Carter, to go to the Alpha Site and do your analysis or whatever there. Dr. Lee will accompany you and the two of you will be in charge of the investigation there. You leave at 0900 hours and I expect you to check in every three hours, to report progress and what not."

"What? Sir, with all due respect, I don't see how I'm the right person to do the investigation and not to mention my work with SG1," Sam exclaimed, trying to keep her self-control. This wasn't her area of expertise and the General knew it!

"That's why you and Dr. Lee will both go. You'll complete the investigation of the evil spores and I'll expect a report with recommendations for the safety protocols, so that this won't happen again. Dismissed."

Everyone stood and Sam watched them file out of the briefing room, while the General returned to his office. She was standing there, contemplating her next course of action. Making up her mind, she knocked on his door.

"Enter!"

"Sir?"

"What is it, Carter?" Jack sighed. He'd expected her to complain about her next mission, but it was out of his hands. He had gotten the order to send Carter there, because even the Powers That Be knew that she was the smartest person they had. They could care less whether or not it was her area of expertise. She'd figure it out and make sure their asses were safe from any evil plant coming through the gate in the future.

"I don't think I should go to the Alpha Site, Sir," she started, silently wondering if this was what it's like to be insubordinate. Sam felt horrible, questioning his orders and she had never thought she would do such a thing. Then again, she'd never expected him to give her such orders…

"Orders are orders, Carter."

"Of course, Sir, but I'm sure there are more qualified people out here. And what about SG1?"

Jack made a dismissive gesture with his hand and shrugged noncommittally. "SG1 is on downtime until you're back and if you're quick that could be early this evening, if not tomorrow morning."

"But Sir-"

"Carter, you're going. And that's that. Now, if you don't mind, I have a lot of paperwork to catch up with." He motioned towards the door and bent over his paperwork, hoping she'd leave.

"Yes Sir," she said through gritted teeth, before leaving his office. So there was a good chance she'd spend the night there, great! Pete is going to be thrilled, she thought sulking.

* * *

"Is there an IDC, Walter?"

"Yes Sir, it's the Alpha Site. We're receiving a video signal."

Jack grabbed the earpiece and looked up to the flickering screen. After a second, he saw the familiar surroundings of the Alpha Site, before Carter's beautiful face filled the screen.

"Carter, right on time! How are things?"

"Just like we suspected, Sir. Everything is under control, the air is filtered, and Dr. Lee and I have already started working on the new protocols. I have done my fair share and there isn't anything else I can do," she said in a tight voice. Realizing how that sounded, she added a belated "Sir".

Jack smirked noticing her tone, which was Carter's way of telling him she 'told him so'. He had taught her well, being smart towards a superior officer while still sounding respectful. She was even better at than he'd ever been. "Are you sure about that, Carter?"

"Yes Sir," she barked.

"Then what are you still doing there? I expect your six here in the next five minutes, Colonel. O'Neill out."

Jack threw the earpiece back on the desk and left the control room, heading for the gym for his daily boxing exercise with Teal'c.

 

Sam sighed; glad that she could go back to the SGC. Thankfully, the personnel here on the Alpha Site was well trained – they'd better, since she handpicked a lot of them – and they were even better at following orders. So as soon as she had laid out her plan, given her orders, and conferred with Bill most of her work had been done. She had taken a look at all the data, okayed everything and contacted the General on schedule. She'd only been here for six hours, so at least she didn't have to spend the night.

She almost ran to her temporary lab, grabbed her stuff, said her goodbyes, and walked back to the 'gate to step into the blue wormhole.

"Welcome back, Colonel," Walter greeted her.

Sam smiled up at him in the control room, while her eyes scanned the people around her – the General had already left. Fine, she'd finish up her report and drop it on his desk before she left to go home. She slid her access card through the reader for the elevator and the doors opened immediately. When she stepped inside and turned back around, she was surprised to see Major Paul Davis coming towards her.

"Colonel Carter," he saluted.

"Major Davis," Sam returned the salute – she wasn't used to saluting anymore, everything was so informal at the SGC – and smiled at him.

"With all due respect Ma'am, but aren't you supposed to be on the Alpha Site?" He asked as he stepped into the elevator.

"I just got back, all done there," she smiled sweetly. News sure traveled fast, how had he known she was going to be there? "Which floor?"

"I'm going topside," he smiled, pushing the button.

"Leaving so soon, Major?" She asked as she pressed level 19.

"It was just a short visit, making sure everything was alright after the quarantine. I actually had a meeting with General O'Neill two days ago, so I was already in town. You're going back to your lab?"

Sam nodded and left the elevator with a quick "Goodbye" when it reached her floor. She quickly dropped her stuff at her desk, before going back to the infirmary. She’d only gone to the Alpha Site and back, but one can never be too careful.

* * *

"Sam!"

Sam turned around to see Daniel turning the corner. "Hi Daniel, what's up?"

"I was just wondering about the briefing," he started.

"What about it?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me out."

"With what, Daniel?" Sam asked him, bewildered. Didn't he know they already had the briefing? Was she stuck in a time loop, like the then-Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had been four years ago?

"Do you remember that little Tok'ra device that gives a 3D hologram of data? The one your father showed us about five years ago when we were after Seth?"

"Yes, why?"

"Could you convert our data so that it could be used on such a device?"

Sam looked at Daniel, who was giving her his puppy dog eyes, all hopeful that she could help him out. "I guess, but I would have to know to what I have to convert it. You wouldn't happen to have one of those devices, would you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," he was beaming. He reached into his BDU pocket and gave her the device.

"What, where did you get this?"

"SG-12 found it in some abandoned Tok'ra tunnels while they were stranded during the quarantine." Daniel smiled at Sam's facial expression; she was looking like a kid in a candy store!

"I just finished my report on the Alpha Site and it's only 1630 hours, so I guess I could start right now? When do you need it?"

"For the briefing, didn't I just say that?" Daniel was looking at her, frowning.

"What briefing?"

"You know, the one with the Tok'ra?"

Sam frowned in confusion. "Which one? The Tok'ra are coming?"

"Yes, didn't you know? It's, eh… Thursday and Friday."

"Next Friday? The day of my engagement party?" Sam exclaimed angrily. "Why wasn't I told? When did you hear?"

"Calm down, Sam. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. Besides, Jack only told me a few days ago, during the quarantine and he confirmed the dates this morning. Maybe he forgot to tell you?"

 _Forget my ass!_ He’d chosen not to inform her! Sam took one last look at Daniels frowning face and stalked off. Was the General punishing her for her decision? Should she confront him? She was still deep in thought when she looked up and noticed her surroundings; apparently, her rebellious legs had walked her towards the General's office. Well, it was now or never… She raised her arm, ready to knock on his door and threw a last glance over her shoulder; she didn't need a crowd. 

Maybe she should wait, what was her proof? Did she even have any relevant arguments?The General probably thought she’d finally lost it, because Sam was sure he’d seen her walking towards his door through the window - might as well go in now... She was good at thinking on her feet, right? Her fist connected with the door and before she could chicken out, she opened it and entered the office…

Her head snapped to both sides, but it was empty. Well, there was a huge mountain of paperwork on his desk – what else is new? – but there were no human beings or aliens around. Pissed off, because he'd thwarted her plans again – it didn’t matter that he hadn’t known about them – she threw her rapport on his desk and left. She felt like hitting or kicking someone or something. Knowing that was a bad idea, she stuffed her hands in her pockets, where her right hand connected with the little Tok'ra device. A smile slowly crept onto her face and she was sure she skipped the last few meters to the elevator.

Jack just rounded the corner, only to see his Colonel skipping a bit down the corridor.  _Skipping_ , he thought. It looked cute, but apparently she'd realized what she was doing, because she stopped doing it. There was definitely still a bounce in her step though, which made him smile. He wondered what could have cheered her up? Rounding another corner and he found himself at his office. Ah, she’d left him her mission report… Was she relieved and thus bouncing and skipping? It sure as hell looked like she had won the lottery or something, which in Carter's case usually meant that she had a new doohickey to work with. As far as he knew, that wasn't the case though.

* * *

"Sir!" Even to her own ears that sounded strangled, Sam thought as she stepped up to join him by the coffee machine in the commissary.

"Yes, Carter?" Jack briefly glanced sideways to look at her.

"I was just wondering if there is anything I should know," she started.

He tore his eyes away from the coffee machine and raised a brow at her. "Carter?"

"Did something happen or maybe something came up while I was on the Alpha Site, Sir?" She had to stay calm and give him an opportunity to explain why she hadn’t been informed…

"No, why?"

"Are you sure?" Her tentative voice belied the rising anger she felt inside and she turned to fully face him. He looked strangely at her, his head cocked to the side. "Sir," she added belatedly.

He nodded slowly, looking at her with narrowed eyes. "Yes, I think I would remember, Carter, it's not like you were gone that long, ya know."

Sam was about to burst and tell him she  _knew_  about the Tok'ra meeting, when Colonel Reynolds appeared at his side and asked to speak with him.

"Sorry Carter, I've got to go," Jack said, grabbing his coffee and walking away with Albert.

Sam stared at his retreating back, trying to rein back her anger. She quickly grabbed a bowl of blue jello from the counter and sat down at her usual table.

"Are you not well, Colonel Carter?"

Sam looked up to see Teal'c hovering over her. "I'm fine, Teal'c, why do you ask?"

He raised an eyebrow at her snippy comment and turned to leave.

"Sorry Teal'c, I didn't mean to snap at you," she apologized to the tall Jaffa.

* * *

"Walter, could you check the airport to see if this flight has arrived yet?" Jack asked, while handing over a note with Ilse’s flight number scribbled on it.

"Of course, Sir."

Siler nodded to him as he entered the control room and Jack greeted the Master Sergeant. "How're things, Siler?"

"Fine, Sir. Just doing some maintenance on the network now that there aren't that many teams off-world and no-one is scheduled to return for at least twelve hours."

As Jack was about to respond, Walter Harriman came back. "The plane should be landing just under an hour, Sir."

"Thank you, Walter." He checked his watch, it was almost 1900 hours, and he’d already done a lot of paperwork today, so Jack decided that he could leave. With a bit of luck, he could pick up Ilse from the airport. "I'll be on my way, don't stay up too late kids-"

All of a sudden, sparks were flying everywhere. Jack ducked instinctively and covered his face with his hands. Looking around he saw Walter doing the same, while Siler was on the floor. The sparks subsided and Jack went over to Siler, to check if he was injured.

"Why does this always happen to me?" Siler moaned, as Jack helped him get up.

"Overload?"

"I think so, Sir."

Jack helped him up gently. "Get yourself checked out in the infirmary, Siler. Walter, was the gate affected?"

Walter sat down at one of the computers and his fingers flew over the keyboard. "No Sir, the gate is in perfect working order. I guess it was a closed circuit."

Jack just nodded, having no idea what had happened. "Great, get someone down here to check it out and have them fix it. Then you should go home too, Walter." Jack added as he walked towards the exit. "Oh and don't let them call in Carter, because she was on her way out and she's been working overtime lately. I'm sure they don't need her super brain to fix this."

"Yes Sir, I'll get someone and make sure it's not Colonel Carter," Walter smiled.

* * *

Sam had almost reached her house when her cell phone rang.  _Dammit!_  She touched her hands free set and answered the phone. "Carter."

" _Colonel Carter, this is Lieutenant Anderson. There was a malfunction of some sorts in the control room and we need you to check it out."_

"Crap!" Now she was sure that someone – most likely the General – had it in for her. "Sorry Lieutenant. I'm on my way, ETA is 20 minutes. Carter out."

She hung up and called Pete to cancel on him for dinner. He had wanted to take her out for dinner for two weeks now and every time something came up. He was pissed, which was to be expected. "Don't you think I'm upset about this as well?"

" _I know, honey, but it's just so annoying. I know it's not your fault, it's like someone has it in for us!"_

"Tell me about it," she mumbled. "I'll eat something on base and hopefully I'll be home before midnight," she yawned.

" _Okay babe, I'll wait at your place. Love you."_

"Me too," she said, before ending the call. She saw the mountain coming up around the corner and parked her car on the parking lot. Walking back to the entrance she had only left half an hour ago, she greeted the airmen on guard and grabbed the sign in sheet.  _That bastard!_ She thought, seeing that the General had already signed out. He was going home and she was called back! She should've known he would pull something this childish, just to get even.

* * *

"Sam?"

"Yeah, why were you expecting someone else?" She smiled, crawling under the covers.

"No way, babe," Pete said as he leaned over to kiss her. "What happened?"

"A technical malfunction with one of the computer circuits in the control room, which caused an overload to-"

Pete stopped her with his fingers on her mouth. "Did you fix it?"

"Yes", her voice sounded muted, and she pressed her lips against his fingers.

"Good, because it's already two in the morning."

"I know, I'm exhausted."

"Goodnight, honey."

* * *

"Come in," Jack yelled, without looking up from the file on his desk. He stifled a yawn, rubbed a hand over his face, and ran the other one through his hair, making it stand upright. He was tired; it had been a long night. When he'd gotten home, he learned the plane was delayed, so he’d ordered pizza. After half an hour he’d called the airport, only to learn that the plane was still circling the runway. Not long after that Ilse had called him, telling him she’d already called a cab that he didn't have to pick her up. When she'd finally reached his doorstep, he'd carried her bag inside and they'd had small talk over beer. Eventually they breached the subject of their shared half-sister, Lily. When they realized it was almost 0400 hours, they'd called it a night. He'd gotten less than three hours of sleep…

Sam stepped into his office, ready for the confrontation. She'd hardly gotten any sleep last night and she was cranky, but she hadn't forgotten to wait for an uneventful moment to confront him. No one was around, she had checked.

Jack looked up when he heard her inhale deeply. "Something on your mind, Carter?"

"Yes Sir," she said venomously, staring him dead in the eye.

Jack's eyebrows rose when he registered her tone of voice and he stared back. "Don't take this the wrong way, Carter, but you look exhausted."

She clenched her fists and counted to ten in her head.  _I can't believe he said that!_  "I know, Sir," she said slowly, drawing out the last syllable.

"You really should take better care of yourself," Jack mumbled, before looking back at the paperwork.

Sam's head shot up when he said that. "Permission to speak freely,  _Sir_?"

"Don't you always?" He joked, trying to calm her down, but she was having none of it. Her face was reddening with anger, he noticed. Was she mad at him? "You don't have to ask, Carter."

"Just making sure, Sir," she huffed.

"Permission granted, Colonel," Jack said, waving vaguely with his hands.

"Are you punishing me, Sir?"

"What?" Jack asked in a disbelieving voice, jumping out of his chair. What had she been smoking?

"I asked if you were punishing me, Sir."

"What in God's name makes you ask or even think that, Carter? Why in the hell would I be punishing you?"

"Because I chose Pete," she said, angrily.

Jack felt like she had kicked him in the gut. Or perhaps an even lower region. He just stared at her, dumbfounded. Did she really think that of him? That he would 'punish' her. Did she think so little of him that he would abuse his authority over her? He could swear he heard the remains of his heart crumble right in that moment, with her looking at him with blazing eyes filled with rage.

"Well?"

He swallowed hard, trying to regain composure, unconsciously straightening his back and cleared his throat. "Carter," was all he could muster, in a whispering voice.  _Damn_ , he hated to sound so broken. He sighed, his shoulders drooping at the movement. "Carter, I'm not punishing you for anything. I don't even know what you're talking about."

"So you're denying it,  _Sir_?" She snorted at the end of her sentence.

His disappointment in her – what she obviously thought of him – and the pain she caused him by asking him this turned into something else, something that suspiciously felt like anger… "Dammit Carter, I have no idea what you're talking about, but I can tell you that I sure as hell don't like where this is going," he yelled.

"Oh please,  _General_ , you don't always have to play dumb! Or are you suggesting that I should be grateful to be sent to the Alpha Site, to conduct an investigation of a situation that isn't even my area of expertise? Only to finally get back and hear Daniel talking about some briefing with the Tok'ra, to which I'm apparently not even invited! Not to mention that it is planned on Thursday and Friday, while you know my engagement party is on Friday! So what, are you trying to keep everyone here, so that they can't make it because you don't like the choice I made? My father was supposed to come to my engagement party, but we all know how the Tok'ra feel about their plans to undermine the System Lords, so I'm pretty sure he would be forced to stay here! And Daniel and Teal'c, are they supposed to keep you company as well,  _Sir?_ " Sam was screaming now, but she could care less. She could finally get it off her chest and tell him exactly what she thought about his childish behavior, which for once was  _not_  cute! "I even tried asking you about the briefing, Sir, but you denied anything had happened that I should know about! And then when-"

"CARTER!" Jack bellowed, his face red with anger.

Sam froze, shut her mouth, and looked at him, her chest heaving from their yelling match. "What?"

Jack took a deep breath, trying to reclaim his self-control. "I didn't want to send you to the Alpha Site-"

"Of course you didn't! What, no one else happened to be around?"

"No,  _Colonel_ , like I told you when you came to my office, orders are orders! The President of the United States and the Joint Chiefs ordered  _me_  to order you to go to the Alpha Site. I tried telling them it wasn't necessary, that it wasn't your  _area of expertise_ , but they wouldn't take no for an answer!"

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh.' As for the briefing, Carter, your father was the one who suggested the dates-"

"I don't believe you, he would never do that, knowing that I-"

"Dammit Carter, let me finish! Your father was the one who suggested it, because that would guarantee his presence on Earth. Selmak's expertise is namely required on Thursday and even if we get behind on schedule, it would only cost them the morning of the next day. The same goes for Daniel and Teal’c; their presence isn't required for the full two days."

"Fine," she grunted. "However, that still doesn't explain why I wasn't informed! I have command of SG-1 and I should know about these things. Even if I wouldn't have to be there – which I doubt – I should be informed about my team's whereabouts."

"Actually, you don't have to be there. The Tok'ra understand – or at least pretend to – that you won't be able to make it and there aren't any doohickeys in any shape or form to be discussed."

Cocking her head, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Normally that wouldn't matter, would it, Sir?"

"No, normally it wouldn't, but as you may remember it was  _you_  who came to  _me_  a few weeks ago, requesting two days of leave. And I'm pretty sure those days were next Thursday and Friday; I believe it had something to do with preparations for your engagement party?" Jack added sarcastically.

Sam's hand came up and covered her mouth, trying to prevent her to utter words of complete embarrassment. He was right, how could she have forgotten? She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment and ducked her head, searching the floor for a hole to swallow her. Where are those Goa'uld attacks when you need them, huh? Her hand was trembling,  _God_ , this was so humiliating! She had been screaming at her commanding officer, completely convinced that he had been conniving evil plans to punish her for choosing Pete over him… it was court martial-able material, she gulped. "That still doesn't explain why I was called in last night, after finally going home from a day of hell," she whispered.

"What?" Jack had tried to give her some space, to regain composure because he knew she was mortified by what she had done. He pushed the button for the intercom and yelled a "Walter!" before turning back to her.

Walter slowly approached the General's office, he was no fool – everyone in the briefing  _and_  control room had heard them screaming at each other. If he were honest, most of the personnel had been shocked – everyone had expected it weeks ago, with Colonel Carter getting engaged and all, or perhaps during the quarantine, but nothing had happened – and by now no one had expected it any more. He gingerly knocked at the door and was surprised to hear the General's rather soft voice beckoning him to enter.

"Yes, Sir?" He swallowed, trying hard not to look at Colonel Carter, but he couldn't help himself - she looked like her dog had died.

"Walter, what did I tell you last night, before I left?"

Okay, that was not what he’d expected, Walter mused. Stunned for a moment, he tried recalling the General's orders. "Um… you asked me to find someone to look at the problem with the overloading computer and to get it fixed. After which I should go home as well – which I did, Sir – and, before you left you added that that someone should not be Colonel Carter, because she had been working overtime lately and you were sure we didn't need her super brain for this," Walter chuckled at the memory. "So I called someone, relayed your orders that under no circumstances Colonel Carter was to be called in, unless it was an emergency, and then I left, Sir."

Jack nodded and smiled at Carter, who looked even more humiliated than before. Walter followed his gaze and watched Colonel Carter, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there and he was sure if she was given the option she'd want to die on the spot.

"Does that answer your question, Carter?"

"Yes, Sir," she mumbled, not daring to look up.


	8. Awkward Situations

“She’s pregnant,” Ilse stated as soon as Jack walked into his house.

“What?”

“Lily, she’s pregnant. That’s why the meds gave her those side effects and why she was showing unheard of symptoms.”

“How the hell did that happen?” Jack exclaimed, plopping his large frame down on the couch.

Despite still shocked by her sister’s explanation, Ilse grinned at him. “Well, if you need me to explain _that_ then-”

"Oh, for crying out loud, I know  _how_  it happens," Jack stated, glaring at her. "I just meant that she just had a baby, I mean Milou is only four months old…"

"Yeah, apparently she's already eleven weeks pregnant."

"Oh God, aren't you supposed to… you know, wait like six weeks or something?" Jack stammered, really  _not_  liking the thought of his little sister having sex.

"Don't ask me, I don't want to know. I mean, it's not like I want to think of her and Paul getting it on in the bedroom…" She scrunched up her nose, Ilse had never liked Paul – not because he was unattractive, he just had an ugly character – and he'd turned out to be a deadbeat dad, which didn't score him any brownie points either. "At least, he's out of the picture now…" After catching him with the babysitter, Lily had finally gotten rid of the bastard.

"So, what does that mean for her treatment course?"

"Yeah, that's a bit of a problem…"

Jack, startled by her sad voice, looked up questioning her with his eyes. "What are you saying?" He whispered, scared to hear the answer.

"Well, you already know that life expectancy for pancreatic cancer is rather low, right?" She tried gently, seeing him nod she continued. "This morning's scans were looking as good as to be expected, there are only a few metastases and they are in relative safe areas. But the only treatment course is chemo, radiation or surgery and the first two are out of the question because of the pregnancy. Her doctors are afraid to perform surgery, without harming the child and Lily is quite adamant about it as well."

"Are you saying that there is nothing they can do?"

Ilse cleared her throat and looked him in the eye. "That's what it looks like; they're conferring with doctors around the globe, but…" She sobbed, trying to keep her tears from falling.

Jack opened his arms, "C'mere" and held her tight. Her body was shaking and hearing her sniveling made it hard for him to keep his own tears at bay. There was nothing they could do for Lily, because of the baby… Jack was raised Catholic – although nowadays that was hard to tell – and he really didn't want to suggest it, but if that was the only way? "What about… I mean, did she think of having-"

"No, she refuses to even consider it; saying even if she wasn't pregnant there was a very small chance for her to still be alive next year. She wants to try to carry the baby full term and spend what little time she has left with Milou, before she… dies," Ilse pulled out of his embrace and was just getting herself under control, gulping and wiping her tears away when her last words broke her again, tears running down her face.

* * *

"Hey babe, I made you dinner," Pete said, welcoming Sam after a long day.

Sam kissed him and managed a small smile, before walking to the kitchen to grab a beer.

"Is everything okay? Wait, I have wine! Come, sit down, we can start dinner right now, I'm already famished."

"Yes, everything is alright, with the exception that I made a complete fool of myself in front of my commanding officer," Sam said, putting the beer bottle back into the fridge and letting Pete guide her to the table. It was sweet of him to make her a romantic dinner, she thought, while sitting down.

"What happened?" He poured wine for the both of them and scooped up a large amount of spaghetti for his plate, before eating it.

"Well, you remember how tired I was this morning," she started.

"Yes…" Too tired for a quickie, he recalled. "You didn't get a lot of sleep, having to fix that damn computer."

"Yeah… yesterday was a horrible chain of events, which all started with me having to conduct an investigation of the quarantine off-world, while it's not my area of expertise and I told the General that, but he didn't budge. When I finally came back, I heard - from Daniel of all people – there's a briefing scheduled with the Tok'ra for Thursday and Friday. I totally freaked, thinking that meant my father, Daniel and Teal'c wouldn't be able to make the engagement party," Sam told him, trying to be vague on the details. His security clearance wasn't that high, and she sure as hell couldn't tell him exactly  _why_  she suspected the General to be conniving against her. "Then when I was finally on my way home, I was called back in for that computer problem, which wasn't _that_ hard to solve. They surely didn't need me for it,  _per se._  There were enough qualified people  _on base_  that could fix it."

"I hear you, sounds pretty crappy altogether. What does all this have to do with you making a fool of yourself, honey?"

Sam looked up from her plate, just in time to see the food in his mouth while he was eating – one of his lesser qualities. She almost downed the glass of wine in one sip, which probably wasn't a good idea seeing as how she'd hardly eaten all day and hadn't even touched the spaghetti in front of her. "I kinda blew up in front of the General."

"What do you mean?"

"I may have… yelled at him for yesterday's events," Sam hesitantly told him.

Pete almost choked on his food at the idea of Sam yelling at anyone, let alone her CO. "What?" He cried out, tears forming in his eyes as he started coughing.

"Yeah, I was still exhausted and then he had the nerve to tell me that I looked tired and should take better care of myself… and I just lost it, I guess my fuse was shortened quite a bit with the quarantine and being cooped up for so long," she added lamely. That was going to be a great excuse for her court-martial, she thought.It wasn’t like they’d just dismiss her charges because she was stressed with an "Aw shucks, better luck next time, tiger"-attitude and perhaps an anger management course…

"Well, eh… I'm sure the General will understand, he knows you've been working a lot lately and… you know, it'll be fine, trust me."

Sam just stared at him. _It will be fine? Trust him?_  Why, what was he going to do about it, she thought bitterly. At moments like these, she realized the differences between them: he may be a cop and know about dangers of the job and working overtime, but he obviously wasn't military. Because if he was, he would know the consequences of 'acting out' and especially yelling at your commanding officer and throwing false accusations in his face, just because you were being insecure, or whatever. "I don't think you understand, Pete. You can't just yell at your CO…"

"Well, of course not, I mean, I would never yell at my boss, because it'll sure as hell piss him off. But there were extenuating circumstances, right? He's known you for a long time and knows this is way out of character for you. I'm sure he already forgave you after you apologized. You're probably getting too hung up about this, babe," he said with a smile.

Sam's hand – on its way to pour herself some more wine – stilled in the air at his last comment.

"What?"

"I never… I mean, oh God!" She jumped out of her chair and started pacing.

"Sam, honey, what are you mumbling about?"

"I never apologized, I just left," she stammered, with a 'deer caught in the headlights'-look on her face. "Even if he would forgive me, I'm sure he's disappointed in me and…" She trailed off, her thoughts going light-years per second. In her anger and humiliation, she’d never thought of apologizing. The General had never, ever, yelled at her before and she knew she’d pissed him off… No, it was worse than that; she’d actually hurt him with her accusation, God what did she do? How could she ever make this up to him? Would he even still consider her a friend after today? 

Sam sighed loudly, her mind going light-years a minute. He still meant a lot to her and he's always been there for her – even if it wasn't in the way she’d wanted – but now she’d chosen Pete and let her own conflicting feelings ruin their friendship! Could she fix this? She still wanted him there, for the engagement party and her wedding. She wanted them to stay friends, because he, Teal'c and Daniel were her best friends, family even. More of a family than her own blood had ever been!Sam realized she  _had_  to apologize, if not to salvage their friendship then for her job. Walter had been very cautious when he came into the office, so he'd probably overheard them. Who else knew? Even if the General didn’t think of her as friend anymore, they had to fix it or it would strain their professional relationship, if not her command of SG1 with Daniel and Teal'c being both their friends…

* * *

"So, you want me to get the guestroom ready?" Jack asked Ilse, getting up from his chair at the dining table. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a home cooked meal, probably the last time Ilse or Lily had come by, he thought, snickering. After their conversation earlier, they had made dinner together – Ilse had done most of the cooking, he’d just chopped some things he couldn't even name – all the while talking about normal things. Obviously to take their mind off their depressing conversation about Lily and he was surprised it had actually worked. While they were already down, he'd told her the whole story about his talk with Carter during the quarantine to the fight they'd had in his office this afternoon. Like always, she knew exactly what to say to make him feel a little bit better and calm down and eventually she'd made him laugh with stories about her work, clients and even funny situations of their little niece.

"Only if the bed sleeps better than last night's couch," she jokingly said, while clearing the table.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I'd forgotten the crap that I had stored there last year."

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize, the couch wasn't  _that_  bad and you had more than enough on your mind. I'll help you after doing the dishes, okay?"

Jack nodded and sprinted down the hall, grabbing her bag on his way up. He wasn't sure where he was supposed to put all the boxes, he hardly knew what was in them, so he just moved them to another room that was hardly ever used – his study. By the time Ilse had finished the dishes and joined him, almost everything had been moved. He watched her opening the windows, to get some fresh air and he stretched his back. "Just needs to be vacuumed and it's good to go." Hearing her chuckle, he added, "Well, I should probably also put the bed back together."

"You think?" Ilse punched him in the shoulder and smiled up at him. "You go get a shower, you've had a long – not to mention horrible – day."

Jack was about to protest, but she just pushed him out the door, telling him to leave her alone so she could clean the room. He walked to his bedroom, grabbed some clean boxers and sweatpants, and went to the bathroom. He was still a bit upset about his confrontation with Carter. He found it hard to believe she'd actually thought he was capable of doing such things just because she'd hurt him with choosing Pete. He'd been thinking about it all day on base and he'd started to wonder if he actually knew her the way he thought he did. Because if someone told him two weeks ago that Carter would accuse him of such actions, he would’ve sent them to the loony bin.

However, Ilse was probably right – she usually was when it came to feelings and things – and Carter had just been tired and emotionally confused. He didn't understand why she would be confused, but according to Ilse it had something to do with his confession during the quarantine. Somehow he doubted that since Carter had made her feelings pretty clear that day, but Ilse had insisted that didn't mean she wasn't confused. Well, like Carter she was a woman, so she'd probably know – he'd always had trouble trying to figure out how a woman's mind worked, even when he was married and he doubted he was the only male with this problem…

Grabbing a towel, he left the shower stall at the same moment he heard the fading sound of the vacuum cleaner. He was sure he hadn't showered longer than usual – which was 5 minutes tops, he was military after all – and found it hard to accept Ilse could actually clean that fast. It always took him ages to clean his house, especially when he'd been commanding SG1 and was away for days or weeks at the time. He wasn't sure when he'd last cleaned that room, but knew it had been well over a year – or two. Must be a gender thing, because he knew for a fact that she was just as busy with her job to get a lot of practice. She probably had a system that was imprinted in her mind at birth, as most women tended to have.

Ilse's head snapped up at the sound of Jack's footsteps. "All done, already?"

"Almost, just vacuumed the room, ran a mop through it and was just dusting of these shelves," she said, gesturing with her hands. Turning around to face him, she smiled hearing his outcry of disbelief. "What?"

"I couldn't have been in the shower more than five minutes and you did all that?"

"Yes, it's not that hard once you start. And you took your time toweling off and getting 'dressed,'" Ilse was making air quotes at her last word, while pointing out his state of dress.

Jack looked down at her, sheepishly smiling. She was right, he had been thinking about Carter and wondered about Ilse's cleaning skills, while he had shaved and put on his boxers and pants. "You might want to shower as well, seeing as you're all covered in dust. I'll fix the bed."

He watched her leave and dried his hair by rubbing the towel over his head. He was about to tell her where to find the towels, but he heard the bathroom door being locked and shrugged. Walking back to his room, he heard a car pull up through the open window. Wondering who it could be, he leaned forward, seeing Carter's Volvo. Why would she drop by? Hadn't she said enough already?He threw the towel over his closet door and pulled on a tank at the same time he heard a knock on the door. Running down the hall, he opened the door, only to see Carter standing there nervously, with her  _fiancé._

"Carter?" Jack decided to ignore the presence of the other man, until he had no choice.

"Hi Sir," Sam's voice sounded a bit strange, even to her own ears. She was incredibly nervous, ever since she had decided to go to her CO's house to apologize for earlier. What she hadn't expected was for Pete to tag along, but he had insisted he wanted to be there for moral support, since she was so nervous. When she’d tried to decline he just told her he wasn't going to let her go there alone, while she wasn't sure what would happen. Of course Sam knew that the General would never hurt her, but Pete seemed to think otherwise or he was just afraid she'd be so emotional that she would cause an accident on her way back. "Can I- we, can we come in?"

"Why?"

Sam just stared at him, dumbfounded. He'd never denied her to come inside, no matter what the circumstances were – day or night, he always let her in. He'd even let Daniel in, all those years ago when he was going undercover to get the rogue NID operatives and had done his best to insult his own team to distance himself from them… "Please, sir?"

Jack tried to stand his ground, but when he heard Carter's broken voice pleading with him, he couldn't. He could never deny her anything, especially not when she was looking at him, pleading, with those big baby blues – it was the exact same way she convinced him to take that damned Tok'ra symbiote two years ago. He stepped aside and opened the door a bit further, so she could step inside.

"General," Pete mumbled, while he wormed his way inside. If he were honest, he'd never really liked General O'Neill. Not even when he'd been a Colonel. Pete always got the idea there was something between him and Sam, which was ridiculous since O'Neill was a lot older and Sam was now engaged, but still… he'd told Sam that he came along because he was concerned for her, but he just wanted to be there because she was going over to his house. Not that he didn't trust his fiancée but he knew men – he was one himself – and Sam was a good-looking woman. No, it was because he didn't trust the General. Hopefully her apologizing would fix things at her job, but he wouldn’t lose any sleep over it if it meant their friendship was lost. Pete still didn’t understand why she’d want her commanding officer at their party and wedding, but he’d let it go after she kept insisting they were good friends and that he meant a lot to her after working together for all these years. He wasn’t blind though and he was pretty sure the guy felt more than friendship for her… It wasn’t just O'Neill he didn’t like, though; Doctor Jackson and that alien weren’t his favorite people either.

Standing in his living room, Jack turned to Carter, eyebrows raised in a silent question. What the hell could they want? He had finally calmed down a bit from their argument and now she was here in his house. Couldn't she just leave him alone? If she  _had_  to come by to talk or continue their fight, she could've at least left that damn  _cop_  at home.

"Sir, when I got home and started talking to Pete over dinner…"

 _Yes Carter, that's exactly what I want to hear right now!_ What had happened to the time they hardly needed words to communicate, Jack mused.

"All of a sudden I realized that I never apologized for my, eh… inappropriate outburst, Sir."

Oh, she wanted to apologize? Heck, he hadn't even noticed she never said 'sorry', because he’d been too consumed with anger, disbelief and empathy for her awkwardness… Jack just nodded at her, hoping that would be all and that she'd go away.

"I really am sorry, Sir, I was too fast drawing my conclusions and I was completely out of line."

His gaze shifted from her to that  _cop_  and he realized what she was actually saying: she was apologizing for throwing those accusations in his face about him punishing her, for choosing that chubby detective over him. Of course, she couldn't say that aloud with her fiancé there with her… "Yes,  _Colonel_ , you were out of line," he saw her cringe at his use of her rank. "Apology accepted, you were overworked, exhausted and if this is the only indiscretion in eight years, I'm more than satisfied."

Sam finally let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding and smiled at him. "Thank you, Sir."

"Yeah, don't worry about it Carter, I won't write you up on insubordination and this little indiscretion won't go on your record. Now, if that's all?"

She hadn't expected the huge wave of relief that came over her, but suddenly she felt lighter. Feeling confident, she took a step towards him, but to her disappointment she saw him flinch. Sighing, she straightened up and looked at him. "I hope I haven't ruined our relationship– _friendship_ today?"

To say that Jack was surprised she would actually breach that subject was an understatement! He honestly didn't know…Jack tried to think of something to say, but as usual his mind wasn't cooperating and it sure as hell wasn't the quick think tank like Carter's. He unconsciously jabbed his hands further in to his pockets and rocked on his feet, trying to come up with something, without hurting her feelings. It amazed him that he was still thinking of a way to  _not_ hurt her, after everything she had said to him in the last ten days…

Pete was looking back and forth between them, not understanding why they were making such a big deal out if this. He wondered why Sam was afraid of ruining their friendship, because to him it wasn't much of a friendship if stepping out of line once would ruin everything. But he wouldn't mention that to her, he'd be secretly glad if their friendship was over…

Sam noticed the General's apprehension and felt a painful stab in her stomach. It was clear to her that she  _did_  harm their friendship today, with her outrageous and insulting words and accusations. If she hadn't he would've said something before now, instead he was just standing there, obviously not knowing what to say. She heard a sound behind her and was reminded of Pete's presence,  _damn!_ "I should've thought more before opening my mouth, but it was never my intention to insult you, Sir. We've been through so much together and you really mean a lot to me, I would hate to lose your respect and friendship, General."

Looking at her sad face and those big blue eyes that were shining with tears, Jack almost wrapped his arms around her, just wanting to comfort her. He loved her and he didn't want to hurt her or for her to be in pain, so he nodded. "I know, Carter. You're right, we've been through worse." Somehow he doubted that, but at least he was trying. "With the dying and all," he smirked at her. She smiled at him in return – that megawatt smile he loved – and it felt like he'd died and gone to heaven. Knowing how ridiculous that sounded - it was just a  _smile_  after all - he shook his head. "You mean a lot to me too, Carter, and I know you know that", he couldn't help the little stab, "And I don't want to throw our friendship away, either."

Sam cringed at his reference to their  _talk_ , but was glad to hear that he still wanted to be her friend. She daren't think about what it would be like to lose his respect and his friendship; he was always there for her and made her feel special. It had been a good idea to come here, to apologize, even if Pete had tagged along. It wasn't like he was very present. Or so she thought.

"So, I take it you're still coming to the engagement party and the wedding, of course?" Pete asked in an oh so innocent tone. He noticed the subtle change in the General's posture and he knew he had been right and couldn't help but smirk at the older man. _Yes, Sam is mine and for her sake I will allow you to be there when she will promise to be my wife!_ "Because you never RSVPed."

"Don't worry, I'll be there unless there is an emergency," Jack said, flashing Carter a reassuring smile. He realized what that damn  _cop_  was trying to do - he'd played such games when he'd still been in diapers - and it was beneath him to respond to it.

Sam wanted to hit Pete for being so insensitive! Sometimes he could be so dense… not that she didn't want the General there, she did, but she'd wanted to take a more subtle approach and perhaps ask him later. Not that there was a lot of time before the party, but still. It was obviously a touchy subject for them, especially after their  _talk_. She thought it was kind of rude to rub it in like this…

"Great," Pete said without any enthusiasm. "Of course, when we were planning everything you were still together with that woman – what's her name?"

"Kerry," Jack said through gritted teeth.  _The little bastard!_

"Right, so I'll take it you're not 'plus one' anymore? It'll be just you, right?" Pete was enjoying this.

"Well-"

"Jaaaaaack?" Ilse called from the back of the house, walking into the guest room. She had taken a rather long shower, everything itched because of the dust and Jack still hadn't fixed the bed! In fact, it looked like he just left! Securing the towel around her body, she walked down the hall to his bedroom. No one there, so she proceeded to the living room. "Jack? Are you coming back to finish what you started or should I just try my hand-" at fixing it myself, she finished in her head, taking in the scene in front of her.

Jack's head snapped in her direction, he'd forgotten about the bed,  _crap!_  "Hi," he greeted her lamely.

"Hi," Ilse grinned. "Sorry, I didn't realize you had company," she said, pointing her chin towards Sam and Pete.

"Yeah, do you mind finishing later tonight?"

Ilse shook her head and said she'd just get dressed and be back in a flash.

Sam was staring at the retreating woman. Here she was, feeling guilty about hurting the General's feelings and Pete's insensitive remarks and he was hiding an almost naked woman in his bedroom? It was the first time since she’d arrived here that she noticed his appearance: he was wearing black sweats and a white tank – which made him look sexy as hell and his tan was just unfair – and his hair was still a bit wet. Oh God, they’d been in bed – no, the shower – together when she got here!That's why he hadn’t wanted to let me in and wanted us to leave ASAP! And feeling no shame he just casually mentioned that they'll 'finish up' later! She felt like such a fool! Turning her head – which she was sure was flushed – she saw Pete staring open-mouthed at the woman. Great, just what she needed…

Jack saw that Carter and Shanahan were both stunned, which made him feel a bit better. At least this way that damn cop shut his mouth. No wait, his mouth was open, gawking at Ilse. That little weasel, staring at her like that while his fiancée was standing at his side. God, he looked like he'd never seen a woman covered in a towel. Jack was sure that Carter would-  _No, I'm not going there._

"Yes, I think you remember seeing Ilse in the briefing room, before Washington?" Jack addressed Carter and Pete, effectively breaking the silence that had descended on the room as he heard Ilse's footsteps nearing again.

Ilse, this time completely dressed, smiled at them. "Hello, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself back then, but I was in a hurry. The SGC was on my way so I decided to stop by before catching my flight." She stepped towards them, glancing back at Jack signaling him to introduce them.

"Right, Ilse this is Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter," Jack gestured towards Carter. "Carter, this is Ilse Lindeman."

Ilse grinned and shook her hand. "Oh, Carter, your 2IC!" She had seen the pictures of SG1 in Jack's house, but they were always wearing their BDUs or something like that on them. She could see why he had fallen for her; she was quite beautiful and had the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"And that is-"

"Detective Pete Shanahan," Pete interrupted him, introducing himself.

"Ilse Lindeman," she said, shaking his hand.

"Yeah, Carter's fiancé," Jack added. He smiled inwardly when Ilse's head snapped in his direction at this comment and he could see the disbelief on her face.

"Echt? Dat meen je niet," she mumbled to Jack.

Jack chuckled at her remark, asking him if he was serious. "Yes, coffee please," he answered, making it sound like she asked him if he wanted something to drink for Carter's and Pete's ears.

She immediately picked up the hint and smiled at his guests. "How about you, do you want some coffee?"

"Actually, we were just on our way out," Sam answered through gritted teeth. She hadn't recognized the younger woman when she was wearing her towel, but now that she was dressed and the General had introduced them, she realized what this meant. He was obviously involved with her – even though he had made it sound like it was all business in DC and maybe it was, at that time. But now he couldn't deny it. What had he been playing at, that day during the quarantine? Had he been having an affair with this woman or had he called her after Sam rejected him? God, the quarantine was only two days ago and he was already with another woman – he surely didn't let the grass grow under his feet, she thought feeling deceived.

"Don't leave on my account," Ilse said, before walking to the open kitchen and turning on the coffee machine.

"Sam is right, we were just leaving," Pete added, having finally regained his wits.

"As a matter of fact, Shannon was just asking me if I was still coming to their engagement party, Friday."

"Oh, yes, you mentioned that," Ilse said, coming back into the room. "Congrats, by the way," she smiled a tight smile, not liking the idea of Jack being hurt by this woman whom he loved more than life.

"Thank you," Sam answered, returning the smile in kind.

Jack, suddenly struck with an idea, asked: "Want to go with me?"

Ilse gave him a suspicious look, wondering what he was doing. After their conversation she thought he'd need some severe persuasion before going to that party – she was still hoping Carter would dump the cop and would realize Jack was the one, and thus wanted Jack to stay a part of her life. That's when she recognized the look he was sending her… 'You said you'd do anything if I told her'. Crap, she had said that and now he was using it against her.

"It's not like you have to be somewhere, right? I mean, I've already taken the next three days off to go with you…"

Ilse nodded, they were going to see Lily, now that he could finally get a few days off and after hearing today's news. What was she to say? He probably wanted her to be there with him because he'd rather fight off those aliens than to be celebrating her engagement and by the looks Carter was sending her she isn't over Jack… it couldn't hurt giving her something to think about, would it?"Sure, I'd love to."

"Great, well there's your answer," Jack told Shanahan. "I'll be there, plus one," he winked.


	9. Personal Days?

"So, pregnant, huh?" Jack asked, after greeting Lily, who was clad in her PJs sitting on the hospital bed.

"Yeah, a bit unplanned," Lily said shyly, ducking her head.

"And pretty fast," Ilse added.

"Yes, well, you know how it goes… we were just-"

"Ack! I don't want the details, please," Jack raised his hands in front of him in a defensive position. He watched Ilse sitting down on the bed next to her sister and he himself went over to the corner where his little niece was sleeping soundly.  _God, she has grown so much!_  Jack had always loved kids and he’d always known he wanted to be a father one day, and for a while he had been one… still, the pain of losing Charlie never stopped him from getting attached to other children and this little girl had surely stolen his heart, he thought grinning.

He had been here, in the same hospital, over four months ago, when Lily had passed her due date with a week and had stayed until she had given birth. He'd thought Milou was rather large and big for a baby, but apparently he was the only one. The doctors – and the two women behind him – had assured him it was perfectly normal for Dutch children, even as Lily was half-American half-Dutch she had obviously passed on her Dutch genes to the little blonde girl. Jack was sure Milou had been – and was right now – larger than Charlie at this age and he'd been a boy. Looking over his shoulder and looking at the two women talking softly, he realized they were rather tall as well. He always forgot such things, but it was true; Lily was about Carter's height – 5’9” – and Ilse was even taller, probably 5’10”.

He gingerly touched the soft blond locks of hair of the bundle of joy, careful not to wake her. There was something about baby hair that made him want to touch it, it was always so soft and it smelled so… innocent? It was a strange way to describe a scent but it was the only thing that came to mind. He heard soft giggles behind him and he walked over to the bed, turning his back on the baby.

"Whoa there," Jack exclaimed, overhearing their conversation. "Just because I'm not fluent, doesn't mean I  _don't_  understand half of what you're saying and I really,  _really_  meant it when I said I didn't want that much information."

"Well, we were trying to be discrete," Lily tried telling him, fighting her giggles.

"You know, being around the two of you kind of forced me to learn a new language."

"Then I suggest you cover your ears, Jack, because I  _want_  details," Ilse told him, smirking like the cat ate the canary.

Quirking an eyebrow, Jack looked at her. "Really? Because I was pretty sure you were the one that said that you didn't wa-"

"Why don't you go get us something to drink?" Ilse quickly interrupted him, inadvertently waking Milou.

Smirking, Jack looked at her triumphantly, remembering exactly what she'd said at his place when she told him about the pregnancy. "Is there a coffee machine around here somewhere?"

"There's one around the corner, I saw it on our way in. Could you get me Nestea Lemon and," Ilse looked questioningly at her half sister. "An orange juice for Lil."

"Just because I can understand half of what you're saying in Dutch, doesn't necessarily mean that I can read it, ya know?"

"Don't worry about it, this is a University Medical Centre," Lily tried reassuring him. Looking at Jack's blank face, she added, "Probably your equivalent of a teaching hospital?"

"Oh, I knew that."

"Right, well, that means there are a lot of foreigners here so I'm sure the machine 'speaks' English. And if you can't find it, go to the cafeteria, they can help you there."

"Fine, I'll get the drinks while we wait for the doctor and you two can talk about…  _that_. I'll be taking the little princess with me, because there'll be plenty of time for auntie Ilse to ruin her with her dirty mouth when she's older," Jack told them, going over to Milou's crib to sooth the crying girl. He heard them laugh out loud before he left the room. "Yeah, women can be really annoying sometimes, sweetie. You just promise me you'll grow up a normal person, okay?"

* * *

Jack knocked softly on the door after putting down the tray and holding Milou on his other arm.

"Binnen," Lily’s voice beckoned him inside.

He walked inside and immediately saw the white coat present.  _Must be the doc_ , he thought, smiling at her.

"Doctor, this is my brother Jack, he was also here four months ago, with Milou," Lily was gesturing with her hands and immediately started speaking English.

Ilse watched the doctor giving Jack an admiring onceover and she winked at Jack, nodding her head at the doctor. He immediately put down the tray and started fidgeting with Milou's dress. She just loved riling him up; he never seemed to notice when women found him attractive and nothing was funnier than pointing it out and making him blush. It always made her smile to see Jack squirm in the spotlight knowing he didn’t have a clue how adorable it was to women to see him flush.

"Oh yes, you're from the United States, right?" The doctor asked him with a slight accent.

"Yeah, he's a General in the Air Force," Ilse bragged, smiling evilly.

"Really?"

Jack saw the woman's smile getting even bigger and he didn't know what to do.  _Damn Ilse!_  "Um… yeah. How about starting that ultrasound, huh?" He heard Ilse giggle and Lily was scolding at him, but at least the doctor was going back to her work, instead of ogling him.

"Can't wait to see our new niece or nephew, Jack?" Ilse asked innocently, while the doctor was applying the gel and turning on the monitor. Jack just glared at her, his jaw clenched, making Ilse and Lily laugh at him and his discomfort.

"Huh," the doctor mumbled, absentmindedly.

"What is something wrong with the baby?" Lily asked, suddenly serious at the thought of her unborn child being in danger.

"No, everything is fine with… both of them."

"Both?"

"As in twins?" Lily's eyes grew to the size of saucers, her mouth gaping.

"Well, there was a good chance for you to carry twins," Jack said, as he watched the doctor nodding an affirmative. "With Dad’s Irish Catholic family having a history of twin siblings."

"Yes, and not to mention that Mom was one of a twin," Ilse added.

"What?" Jack and Lily exclaimed.

"She died in a car accident before you were born," Ilse told them, shrugging. "Mom doesn't like to talk about it."

"Well, with a family history like that I'm not surprised," the doctor told Lily.

"Can you tell the sex?"

"No, it's too early," the Doctor answered Ilse's question.

"Yeah, she's only eleven weeks pregnant, Ilse," Jack added.

"Thirteen actually," Lily mentioned.

"Yes, the two weeks between, err… the last period and conception are added for free," the doctor explained, searching for the right words.

"Really? I didn't know," Jack mumbled. "Wait, that means you're already through your first trimester! And you didn't know you were pregnant?"

The doctor smiled at Jack, "That actually happens a lot with women who've just given birth and-"

"Okay, I get it. That's too much information."

"God Jack, you're such a guy… don't you find it interesting?"

"Shut up, both of you. I want to hear my babies' heartbeat," Lily said, smiling.

Forgetting their argument, Jack and Ilse both leaned in closer to watch the monitor.

"Is that a thumb in his mouth?" Jack asked, stunned.

"Yes, it appears so, that would mean we're right about the timing, which is supported by the size and development of the children. Do you want a picture?"

* * *

"Sam, have you seen Jack?" Daniel asked, hurrying down the corridors, trying to catch up with his friend.

"No, why?"

"I can't seem to find him."

"Oh."

"'Oh'? Is that all you have to say?" Daniel asked incredulous.

Sam, still pissed about last night for finding the General with  _that_  woman, just nodded. "Yes."

"Sam?"

"What, Daniel?"

"What was your fight about? I mean, you two were going at it – and I don't mean in the sexual way – and you've been behaving different since last week."

Turning her head, she glared at him. "Daniel, just mind your own business."

"Look, Sam, you two are both my friends, we're like family. I don't like it when you fight and if there is anything I can do to help, all you have to do is say so. Even if you just want to talk, you know that right?" He tried, gently laying his hand on her arm, stopping her.

"I know," she sighed. "And I appreciate it, but nothing is wrong. It was just a misunderstanding…"

"Quite a misunderstanding," he murmured under his breath.

"Wait, you heard?"

Daniel blew out a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "Sam, I wouldn't be surprised if the  _entire base_  heard you two, you were really loud!"

"Great, just what I need…" Putting her hand in her neck, she tipped her head back and unconsciously scrunched her nose, thinking. "How loud? I mean, did you overhear what we were saying?"

"No, we heard the screaming, but it wasn't clear enough to  _understand_  what you were screaming."

"Good. How about the others," she asked, suddenly feeling the shame creep back up.

Daniel shrugged as he tried to suppress his curiosity about their argument. "As soon as SG-8 came into the briefing room and Walter overheard you, he rushed everyone out of the room and called me and Teal'c. I stood in front of the staircase in the control room, so no one could go up and Teal'c was guarding the corridor of the office."

"Thank you, that's so sweet," Sam explained, feeling an overwhelming urge to hug Daniel and Teal'c for trying to protect them. Instead, she just smiled her megawatt smile. She sure as hell was glad it had been Teal'c guarding the office because even though he probably heard everything from that position, she knew he would never tell anyone. Daniel wouldn’t tell either, but he’d want to talk about it. Sometimes he was just too curious and should mind his own beeswax.

"Colonel Carter, Daniel Jackson."

Sam watched Teal'c coming towards them and was wondering if something was wrong; he looked… preoccupied – as far as one could tell with Teal'c – which was unusual. "Is something wrong, Teal'c?"

"Indeed."

"What, did something happen?"

"Indeed it has not, Daniel Jackson." Looking at his friends' dumbfounded expressions, Teal'c decided to elaborate. "Colonel Reynolds has received a communication and has requested our presence."

"Reynolds?" Daniel wondered, while trying to keep up with Sam and Teal'c's long strides.

"Indeed, O'Neill has requested him to be in command while he is away."

"Jack is gone? Where did he go? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Daniel," Sam rolled his eyes at him. "Calm down, I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation."

Hearing her repeat his own words from the other day, Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. Was something wrong with Jack? Perhaps a late side effect from the Ancient download that makes him forget things, like telling Sam about a briefing or telling us he’s taking a day off…

"Daniel Jackson, are you not well?"

Shaking his head, Daniel resumed his way through the gray corridors all the while trying to figure out what was up with his best friend. Maybe that was why he and Sam had a fi- No, Sam was pretty embarrassed so she was probably telling the truth. She’d just been tired and a misunderstanding escalated into an argument.

"Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, thank you for joining us," Albert Reynolds said, looking up from his conversation with Walter when they entered the briefing room.

"Of course, Sir," Sam answered, standing at attention until he waved her down. He was still a rank higher, after all. "If you don't mind me asking, Sir, where is the General?"

"I'm not sure-"

"What? He's missing? Since when?" Daniel exclaimed, jumping up from the chair he just sat down in.

"If you would let me finish, Dr. Jackson," Colonel Reynolds said in a placating tone. "He has taken a few personal days, after conferring with General Hammond at Homeworld Security and the President, and they assigned me to take over in his absence."

"A few days?"

"Indeed, O'Neill informed me he will be returning in two days."

'I've already taken the next three days off to go with you…' That's what he said to  _her_  last night, Sam remembered, nodding to Daniel. They had nothing to worry about, the General was just enjoying himself, she thought wryly. Sam pushed those thoughts away and focused her attention on the Colonel.

"He told you, but not me?" Daniel was glaring at his two friends, ignoring the entire reason why they were here in the first place.

Reynolds sighed loudly, waiting for everyone to turn to him. "Please, people, could we focus on the matter at hand?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Indeed."

"Sorry, what was it about a communication?"

"We received a communication from the Tok'ra, requesting our help on one of their missions," Reynolds answered Daniel, whose curiosity seemed piqued.

"They want our help on  _their_  mission? Why, what went wrong?" Looking around the table, Daniel realized he’d voiced everyone's thoughts with that simple question. After all, the Tok'ra had always been anything but forthcoming with their intel and for them to  _ask_  the inferior Tau'ri for help, something had probably headed south.

After a quick briefing, it was clear that the source of the communication was less than trustworthy and it may very well be a trap; it somehow reminded the three members of SG1 of the time they were trapped by Aris Boch and he'd forced them to help capture a Goa'uld, who turned out to actually be the Tok'ra Korra. Korra had told them that the then-Major Carter would be able to recognize him, which sounded suspiciously like the 'Tok'ra' from this communication, only this one claimed that O'Neill and Carter could both recognize him, since they've both been Tok'ra hosts.

"Sir, with all due respect, the only thing we have to go on here is the communication that SG-5 intercepted on P3X-115 and they're not even able to verify the story," Sam protested.

"I know, Colonel Carter, but since the Tok'ra have severed their allegiance with us for the time being and thus refuse to let us know their base of operations, we are unable to contact them."

"Have you tried the known addresses, Sir?" She asked, referring to the addresses her father and Selmak had left them – her - in case of emergency. "Because that way we could ask them for confirmation and if they really have an operative on that planet…"

"Walter dialed the planets and tried contacting them, but so far we've had no such luck. We received the transmission four hours ago and it was obvious that help was needed."

"I guess that means we have to call Jack back in?" Daniel suggested to Colonel Reynolds.

"Yes, I already tried calling the General's house but no one answered and even though I'm in temporary command, I don't have the authority for a mission of this proportions," Colonel Reynolds admitted with a shrug.

"Did you try calling his cabin?"

The thought of the General going 'fishing' with another woman made Sam cringe with something she refused to acknowledge. General O'Neill was a free man, she’d chosen Pete and had no claim on him – never had. Besides, she didn't even  _like_  fishing, she reminded herself. Every time the then-Colonel had invited her to go fishing, they had both been wary for her answer, knowing that the two of them going 'fishing' probably didn't mean they would go _fishing_ … Sam shook her head, clearing it from her thoughts and denying herself to linger.

"I do not believe O'Neill went to fish," Teal'c said at the same time that Walter came into the briefing room, telling Colonel Reynolds no one answered at the number of the cabin.

* * *

"So, are you two finally hooking up?"

"What?" Ilse exclaimed, while Jack almost choked on his food.

"Oh come on, he is taking you to an engagement party," Lily pointed out. "Look, I don't have any problems with it, you know. I always thought you two should-"

"No!" Ilse interrupted her, glancing at Jack.

"It would be weird," they hesitantly said in unison.

"Besides, Jack is still smitten with Carter."

"Smitten?" Jack rolled his eyes at Ilse.

She cocked her head and grinned. "Yes, it's so obvious when the two of you are in the same room."

"Oooh, you saw them together! What is she like?"

"It's not obvi– _true_!"

Ilse was trying hard not to laugh out loud at Jack's facial expression. "Relax Jack; I only noticed because I've known you for years and because I know how you feel about her."

Jack just gave her a dismissive glance and denied her statement calling it a woman's intuition.

"But to answer your question; I can understand why Jack fell for her, I mean she's hot."

"What?" Jack exclaimed.

"Hey, just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that I can't see that. God, you're such a prude sometimes. And it's not like I've never exp–"

"Ack! Too much information!"

"No, tell me," Lily begged her sister.

"I'll tell you some other time, because Jack is looking rather uncomfortable," she teased him. "You know Mum has blue eyes right? Well, Carter's eyes are way bluer. And they sparkle when she's looking at Jack and thinks no one notices. She definitely looks good, even better than in those pictures you've seen," she told Lily.

"Hmf, what about that guy, what's he like?"

"Do we have to talk about this?" Jack sighed; this was probably the last topic he wanted to discuss.

"It's either that or my impending death," Lily said, lighthearted.

"Don't joke about that," Ilse admonished her.

"Fine, we'll talk about Carter and that  _cop_ ," Jack grudgingly agreed.

"Okay, so he was there as well," Ilse started. "I seriously don't know what she sees in him, I mean, it's not like he's completely unattractive or something, but he's no Jack," she winked at him, but he just reciprocated with a glare. "He's rather average if you ask me; light brown hair, brown eyes, oval shaped face, dark eyebrows, mid thirties, a bit chubby – and I always thought cops should be in top condition – and on the short side. He's shorter than you," she told Lily, who snorted in response.

"Jeez, that's way too short, I mean call me old fashioned but I really think it looks ridiculous for a woman to be taller than her guy."

"You know, with perception like that you should've joined the military or law-enforcement," Jack commented after her detailed description.

Ignoring him, Ilse continued. "Carter looked taller and she wasn't wearing heels. I'm still not convinced that she's over Jack, though."

"Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, Ilse, but she made her choice pretty clear," Jack told them before turning away. He couldn't risk hoping for someday, not after their  _talk_.

Understanding his reaction, Ilse softened her tone. "She just thinks she wants a normal life and if she marries him, then an average life is what she'll get. I actually think I'd like her if she hadn't hurt you and gotten engaged to that man. But if she didn't have any feelings for you, she wouldn't have been throwing daggers at me with her eyes when you asked me to come along to her party."

"If looks could kill…" Lily said, shuddering.

"Yeah, I'm sure as hell glad she was using her eyes instead of her hands."

Jack smirked at her, before cleaning up the dining table. "Thanks for tagging along, by the way."

"Sure thing, if only to wipe that smug grin of that cop's face and if I can do that  _and_  make your Colonel a bit jealous at the same time, then who am I to deny fate."

Lily was laughing at their remarks, before hearing her daughter cry through the baby intercom. "Don't worry about it, I just fed her, she probably needs a diaper change," she said yawning and stretching her back, when Jack looked at her with questioning eyes.

"You just sit down and relax, Ilse will do the dishes, and I'll take care of my niece."

She was about to protest, when Ilse chimed in claiming she was already in her second trimester of the pregnancy and should take it easy. "Besides, you have a dishwasher," she whispered when Jack went upstairs. In a minute the washer was full and Ilse poured herself a glass of wine, giving her little sister some OJ before sitting down on the couch next to her. "Are the babies already kicking?"

"No, not yet," Lily smiled at her. "When I was pregnant with Milou I didn't notice anything until I was midterm, but I read that you feel – or notice – it earlier when you've been pregnant before."

"Yeah, but when you were carrying Milou one could hardly notice that you were pregnant, except for your growing belly. You never experienced morning sickness or extreme fatigue or anything! I want that if I ever get pregnant," Ilse cried out.

"Yes, Mum said it was the same for her, so you just hope you have the same genes. That's probably one of the reasons I didn't notice I was pregnant this time… although I do tire easily, but the doctor said there was a good chance of that since I'm carrying twins."

"Oh my, hear us talking, we're back home, in your living room and we're talking English!"

"I blame Jack," Lily laughed.

"For what?" Jack asked, coming through the door, holding a sleeping baby. "You were right by the way."

"That we're speaking English among ourselves," Lily smiled, kissing her baby girl as Jack sat down next to her.

"Ah, yes, I tend to influence people like that," he grinned. "You know, I was just changing this one's diaper - trying to get her to stop crying – when I realized how much she looks like you. Both of you. You all have the same nose, same mouth – although you have different smiles somehow – and the same dimples. Not to mention you're all blondes."

"Yes, that's what Mum said too! But we, Ilse and I, take after our mother and apparently so does my daughter."

"You should be glad she's as pretty as you are," Ilse said, complimenting her little sister. "Now, let's hope she also has your character and not her father's," she snorted.

"She has the O'Neill eyes," Jack said proudly, referring to their chocolate brown eyes. "You don't see that a lot, huh, blond hair like yours and dark brown eyes."

"At least not without contacts or hair dye," Ilse commented dryly. "They," she waved her hand at Lily and Milou, "Have lighter hair than I do. Mine is more like my father's, it lights up in the summer thanks to the sun, but it has a brownish glow in the winter."

"Yeah, your hair is like caramel, mine is more champagne colored as is Milou's," Lily murmured in comparison.

Ilse was about to say something when she heard a strange noise. "Is that a phone?"

"It's not mine," Lily denied. "Jack?"

Jack was already fumbling his pockets, trying to locate his damn cell phone before it woke up the baby. Years of being in black ops had trained his hearing well, but years standing in the battlefield had probably damaged his ears as well – at least, that was what he blamed it on after realizing his phone was in his jacket, which was hanging over the dining chair. Handing the baby over to its mother, he quickly got up and answered his cell phone. "O'Neill."

" _General, Reynolds here, I've been trying to contact you for hours and couldn't seem to get a hold of you, Sir."_

"That's why they call it leave of absence, Reynolds."

" _Yes Sir, but something has come up and we need your help."_

"Is it a matter of life or death?" Jack sighed. "Because I'm busy, haven't taken a personal day in what feels like years and I'm not even in the country."

"I'm really tired, do you mind if I take a long bath and get to bed?" Lily asked Ilse, trying to suppress another yawn.

"Of course not, it's been an exhausting day. You go ahead and I'll tell Jack as soon as he hangs up."

When Jack got off the phone, he turned around to see Ilse smiling at him. "Huh?"

"Lily went to take a bath, took Milou to bed, and wants to call it a night. Is the planet under attack?" She asked, jokingly.

He automatically shook his head in denial. "No, it's nothing like that if I have to believe Reynolds, but they do need me and apparently have been trying to call me for hours."

"So, you're on the next flight out of here?"

"Actually, no. There's a ship in orbit and it's going to 'beam me up, Scotty' and beam me back down at the SGC," Jack explained, glad that she had clearance since she started procuring artifacts for Hammond, so he didn't have to make up a lie.

"Wow, I had no idea you could do that," she said, impressed. "Wait a minute, you're telling me we could've gone from the States to here in a minute instead of that ten hour flight?"

"Yes, well you know: 'with great power comes great responsibility' and unfortunately I'm not allowed to use it for my personal gain. Maybe with my next promotion," he smirked.

* * *

"General, it's good to have you back," Colonel Reynolds stated as Jack appeared in a white beam of light in the briefing room.

"Yeah, well, forgive me if I'm not as happy about it as you are," Jack muttered. "Now, can you give me a quick briefing?"

Sam got the impression he was actually pissed off instead of reacting in his normal gruff behavior. Reynolds had told them _Prometheus_ had located him after an entire scan of the planet - since he couldn't give his exact coordinates – which meant he wasn't in the United States, since that's standard scanning procedure. He hadn’t taken her 'fishing' but took her abroad? Maybe they’d gone to her place, hadn’t he told them she wasn't American?Tired of her obsessing mind, Sam sighed aloud.

"Is something wrong, Carter?" Jack asked, irritated that she appeared annoyed while he was the one that had to say goodbye to his sister and niece in a hurry on his day off.

"Sir?" Sam cocked her head, confused until Daniel gestured to her that they heard her sigh. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't expect all of this today and guess I'm still just tired, Sir."

"Yes well, suck it up, soldier, you're not the only one with other plans," he barked at her – still not convinced she was worse off and not wanting to think about other plans that most likely involved her fiancé.

Shocked to hear him talk to Sam like that, Daniel let out a tentative "Jack?" Maybe he was right; they'd been acting weird for days now and he could tell Teal'c had noticed as well. And he didn't mean just their rather loud and public fight, because everyone had heard  _that_.

"What, Daniel?"

Teal'c raised a brow at the impatience in his voice. "Is something troubling you, O'Neill?"

Jack looked away from Reynolds and glanced at his former team that was eyeing him askant. Perhaps he had been a bit harsh… "Sorry guys, I hardly had time to prepare for this change of scenery and was actually enjoying myself  _on my day off_ ," he said, putting the emphasis on his last words. "Blame it on my jetlag."

"O'Neill, does not a jetlag require travelling by jet aircraft crossing several time zones in relatively few hours?"

"Er… yeah, T, it does, I was referring to my flight last night," Jack absentmindedly answered.

"Actually Sir, I think beaming you up and down while crossing a few time zones in between will disrupt your circadian rhythm as well as flying a plane over the same distance if not more, since you –"

"Ack! Not now, Carter, I'm not in the mood."

A soft, dejected "Sorry Sir" left her mouth in a whisper and she let her gaze wander down to the floor, for the first time noticing his dark blue jeans, which hugged his sexy six, and black shirt, wrapped around his well toned torso. It wasn't often she saw her General in such civvies so she let her gaze linger a bit before ducking her head, hiding her blush.

Jack heard her whisper and caught her gazing at the floor and he immediately felt like a bastard. "Crap, sorry Carter. Like you said, I have a double jetlag," he gave her his charming lopsided grin and felt better when she smiled back at him. "Now, let's dial the gate."


	10. Tok'ra Visits

"Jack, I didn't think you'd be here. Weren't you supposed to go fishing or something?" Jacob asked, walking down the ramp.

"Good seeing you too, Jake! Yes, I  _had_  taken a few personal days, but your pal had to screw that up for me. If you and your Tok'ra friends would've responded to his or our calls, I would still be gone. No point in leaving now, so I figured I might as well be here for today's meeting."

"Making general all of a sudden turned you all business-like, Jack?"

"Funny," Jack uttered, shaking Jacob's hand. "How's Sel?"

"I am doing well, O'Neill," Selmak answered after Jacob ducked his head to let his symbiote take over. "The Tok'ra High Council wanted me to offer my thanks for your rescue of Ark'ran."

"Yeah, well, I'd say you're welcome, but then I'd be lying. So, where are the others?"

"They will arrive in two of your hours; Jacob wanted to spend some time with Samantha before the meeting."

"Ah, yes, Carter was supposed to have today and tomorrow off, for her shindig and all."

Once again dipping his head, Selmak made place for Jacob. "I know, Jack, but knowing my daughter she's around here somewhere, am I right?"

"Last I saw her she was in the briefing room with Daniel," Jack smirked, leading the way. "Hey Carter, look Dad's here."

Sam looked up from Daniel's notes at the General's voice and smiled as she saw her father. "Dad! When did you get here?"

"Just arrived, kiddo. Didn't you hear the alarm?"

Hugging her father, Sam admitted that she and Daniel had been too engrossed in their work. She quickly showed her father the data she had been able to convert for the Tok'ra device.

"Where did you get that?"

"Your snake cousins have the tendency to leave their crap behind while fleeing their tunnels," Jack told him. "Talking about pollution… you know, we try very hard to change our ways here on Earth, but it's not going to do much good if you guys pollute this galaxy by leaving all your stuff behind on different planets."

Daniel quickly cut off their little banter, by explaining to Jacob how exactly they had come across the technology and listing all the other items that had been salvaged. "I'm sure we can work something out if there are certain items the High Council wants returned."

Jack's eyebrows rose at Daniel's comment, not because he wasn't thinking the same thing – he was, and that was exactly what surprised him. Daniel was known for his moral side and ethical dilemmas and Jack had expected him to insist they return everything to the Tok'ra. Apparently, a few years on SG-1 – and maybe the whole ascending-thing – had changed him more than he realized… and maybe it had something to do with the fact that he had broken his glasses again and sprained his left wrist while going on a rescue mission for Ark'ran two days earlier.

"We can talk about that later, right now I want to spend some time with my daughter," Jacob said, taking Sam by the arm walking towards the elevator. "Have you had breakfast already?"

"Um, no Dad, but maybe I should-"

"That's okay, we'll eat something in the commissary, you wouldn't believe the stuff the Tok'ra eat… it makes me yearn for Earth food, even if it's from the commissary," he chuckled and stepped into the open car, pushing the button for the commissary.

"Dad, I haven't asked the Gener-"

"Don't worry about it, Sam, I'm sure he understands. I told him I wanted to spend the two hours before the meeting with you and he didn't object; besides he may be the base commander, but I still outrank him."

"You're retired, Dad," she countered as they walked into the commissary and grabbed a plate of pancakes, a cup of coffee and a bowl of blue jello before following her father to a table.

"That doesn't mean I can't still pull rank! If that doesn't work, I can still call upon Selmak - I'm sure she could convince Jack." Enjoying his donut, Jacob eyed his daughter from across the table. "So, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Dad," Sam stated, sipping her coffee. "Why?"

"It's just that you've been working so hard lately and I thought that maybe you were nervous for tomorrow…"

“Tomorrow? It's just a party, Dad."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, holding her gaze. "To celebrate your engagement, Sammie. Are you happy?"

"Yes, I'm happy," looking intensely at her father, she continued. "Where is this coming from?"

"Nowhere, I just wanted to make sure you know what you're doing, honey."

"Dad, I'm not a child anymore; don't you think I thought long and hard about this?" Giving him a last hard look, she got up and grabbed her tray.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about," Jacob sighed, following her.

"I'm happy, Dad, really."

They walked back to her lab in silence, Jacob trying to read her while conversing with Selmak in his head.

' _Samantha would not lie to you, Jacob.'_

'Perhaps not on purpose; either she really is happy or she's lying to herself.'

' _Of what do you speak?'_

'When you're in love with someone and you're happy, wanting to spend the rest of your lives together, you don't have to think long and hard about a proposal.'

' _I see…'_

* * *

"General O'Neill, it is good to see you again."

Jack grimaced before answering her. "Hello Anise, right on time I see."

"Jacob and Selmak are already here, are they not?" She asked, taking in the gate room looking for them.

"Yes, he's with Carter, Daniel's already getting them for the meeting."

Anise followed Jack up to the briefing room, greeting the others – who were already present – coolly. She immediately took a seat next to Jack, who was at the head of the table, and Daniel, smiling at both of them.

Great,just what they needed. An infatuated Tok'ra, Jack thought, noticing her glances towards them. Well, at least it's Freya who was into him and not the snake, though Daniel could have them both for all he cared.

Selmak took over Jacob's body and started the briefing, with Anise backing him up sometimes or explaining the more scientific matters to Daniel and Carter. Jack was taking it all in, scribbling some notes – alternating with drawing doodles - on his notepad. So far, they hadn't told them anything interesting – perhaps Daniel or Carter would disagree, looking at their excited eyes – and as usual Jack had the feeling that Anise/Freya was holding back intel they didn't deem the Tau'ri worthy of knowing. What else is new?

"As the Tok'ra High Council asked me, I have made a compilation of the knowledge I was able to gather in such a limited time frame." Placing the Tok'ra device in the midst of the table surface, Daniel continued. "Thanks to Sam," he said, smiling at her while turning on the small piece of technology showing a 3D-image. "Who converted my data into, er… what was necessary for it to work," he looked sheepishly at everyone. "You can all see the structure of this clearly and," holding his hand up to stop Anise from speaking up. "You can take it with you to your secret base, including this device, since we have more. One of our off-world teams found it in abandoned Tok'ra tunnels and we will give you a list of which items we were able to salvage, Anise can take it back to the High Council tonight and let us know what they want back by tomorrow."

Jack was nodding while Daniel was talking – who knew the Space Monkey had it in him to negotiate like  _this_  with the Tok'ra, instead of negotiating helplessly to save their lives on an alien planet. He was most definitely evolving and changing – and not into a glowing orb - losing some of his naivety… It was a bit unsettling though, because it really was an ingrained part of Daniel's character and no matter how many times Jack would rebuke Daniel for it, he wasn't sure he wanted Daniel to lose that part and become more judicious. No, a savvy Daniel wasn't what they needed if it meant he'd lose his childish innocence, Jack reflected.

After Daniel was finished with his presentation, Anise nodded and stood up. "Might I suggest we suspend the meeting until I have met with the High Council and we have had time to confer and suggest a strategy?"

"So, that'll be tomorrow?" Jack quipped, raising his eyebrows.

"Most likely it will, General O'Neill. There is a chance that it is sooner, but I would prefer not to speculate on the matter."

"Of course you don't," he muttered. "Does that mean you'll be leaving now?"

"I shall take my leave and if the council will approve it, I would be honored to return tomorrow as one of the representatives. You will be here, will you not?" Anise asked in general.

"Um…" Sam started.

"Well, Carter won't be here since it's her day off – which it was today as well, by the way," he mock glared at her. "Daniel and Teal'c will be here if their specialty is required, but if not they'll probably be helping Carter with the setup of her shindig. If Jacob – or Selmak – isn't needed they'll be with Carter of course," Jack raised his hand at Carter and gave her a minute shake of his head, to stop her from interrupting. "Don't worry Carter; I'll be there, just a bit later."

Sam smiled at him, no matter what she had told her father, for some reason she  _was_  nervous. Having Daniel, Teal'c and her father there tomorrow would help, especially Teal'c's calming presence. If the General wouldn't be able to be there she would be disappointed; for some reason she had the feeling he needed to be there for her to completely let go of her somewhat inappropriate feelings for him. Even after they had  _that_  uncomfortable talk, their fight the other day, her awkward visit to his place  _and_ the strain on their relationship lately, he still meant a lot to her. There was nothing wrong with that, in a way he'd been a mentor for all these years. Doing their jobs - with the dangers, deaths, ascending, descending and loss of friends – for years, working in close proximity and learning from one another kind of makes that person grow on you. It's perfectly normal, she justified her thoughts.

"A 'shindig?'" Anise wondered aloud. "I do not know the meaning of that."

"Jack's merely referring to Sam's engagement party," Jacob chuckled.

"Engagement? What is that, a bonding?"

"Um… when two people love each other and want to make a commitment to one another for the rest of their lives-"

Not Anise, but Freya interrupted Daniels explanation. "Choosing a mate?"

"Er... in a way, yes. But it's more like a betrothal and then they will get married, making it a permanent arrangement."

Sam cringed at their choice of words. Freya made it sound so… primitive and Daniel made it sound like a lifelong sentence, which it wasn't!

"You are to be wed tomorrow?" She asked astonished.

"No, no, no!" Sam exclaimed. Somehow, the thought scared the life out of her! No, the wedding wouldn't be for months…

"I'm afraid we don't understand," Anise took over.

"It is to celebrate their betrothal, their wedding will be a few months later…" Daniel tried explaining it to the Tok'ra, but was having trouble with the idea of Sam and Pete actually marrying.

"The Tau'ri celebrate their commitment twice?" She asked confused.

"Actually, we celebrate it a lot of times," Jacob chimed in, confusing Anise and Freya even more. "A couple most likely celebrate their relationship after a few months and almost always every year on the date they started their relationship. Then after a year or more, most will eventually propose which gets celebrated. The wedding tends to be a big event, with friends and family present and every anniversary after gets celebrated, and some give parties every five year or so."

"You celebrate it that often?"

"Well… yeah," Daniel responded lamely. "And of course there are the special dates, every year there is Valentine's Day and there are special anniversaries like 25 years and such."

"Yeah, whatever rocks their boat," Jack muttered. "Any excuse to eat cake," he added cheerily.

"That is most fascinating. Jacob has told the Tok'ra about several Tau'ri habits and customs, but I did not know this. I have lived for centuries and seen a lot of cultures of different species throughout my life while living with different hosts adding to my knowledge, but the Tau'ri never cease to amaze me," she smiled. "Your species truly is extraordinary."

Daniel's archeologist and anthropological side connected with her inner archeologist and he shared in her enthusiasm and started babbling about different ceremonies and celebrations within their culture. Jack, Sam, Teal'c and Jacob left the two alone to grab something to eat in the commissary and by the time they got back, Daniel and Anise were still engrossed in conversation.

Sam started packing up her notes, ignoring their conversation and smiled at her father and the General over Daniel's exuberance. She didn't realize Daniel was talking to her until he called out her name a few times. "What?"

"I asked if it was okay for Anise and Freya to be there tomorrow. I mean, that's not a problem right? It's a great opportunity for her to see more of our culture and perhaps will make the Tok'ra understand us a bit better," he trailed off.

Sam froze, mouth agape. The first time she’d met Anise she had been a bit surprised by the woman's wardrobe, or lack there-of. When the side effects of Anise's Atoniek bracelets had started to kick in she felt a dislike towards the Tok'ra and her host. Janet had warned her about their physical changes and yet Anise had stubbornly refused to stop the experiment, forcing General Hammond to step in and take sides with Dr. Fraiser only to find out it was too late and the armbands wouldn't come off. Playing with human lives like that, showing no scruples or ethical concerns and tossing aside Janet Fraiser's objections because the humans were technologically inferior and dismissing any signs of danger had scored her no brownie points with Sam.

Sam, Daniel and Janet were all scientists, but they would never act so irresponsible, no scientist at the SGC would! There were more protocols and laws in the United States for performing scientific trials on animals than Anise seemed to maintain for experiments with human beings, without even knowing the consequences or the fate of the Atonieks. Sam wouldn't be lying if she said she was more than happy for her to leave and would've lost no sleep over it if they’d never meet again!

Only thing was that it didn't take long for Anise to reappear on the scene, falsely accusing Sam and the then-Colonel O'Neill of being zatarcs! Which had almost gotten both of them killed, like the members of SG-14… and deep down inside her heart, Sam blamed Anise and her carelessness for Martouf's death. Insisting that the entire SGC had to be tested and telling them the Tok'ra had already been examined, her Goa'uld-like arrogance assumed that they were the only ones that had been turned into zatarcs, not even thinking about having herself or Martouf tested… At that point, Sam had more than disliked the Tok'ra, an emotion that came close to hate – especially after Daniel told her how she’d tried seducing the then-Colonel, while she should've been thinking of a way to save them! Sam’s almost-hatred for her had nothing to do with the fact that Freya had tried to jump O'Neill, or that Anise wants to get into Daniel's pants…

"Eh, I don't know if that's such a good idea, Daniel," she stammered. She sure as hell didn't want her at her engagement party, certainly not with her attire!

"Why not, Sam?"

"Oh come on, Danny, you have to admit she'd stand out in a crowd," Jack mentioned. He'd had enough of Anise  _and_ Freya for the next few weeks, if not years. He really didn't want her hanging around him while he was already miserable at Carter's party…

"But I'm sure she can behave herself, if we prep her a bit about certain, eh… things," Daniel said, looking at Anise and her scarcely clothed body.

"There is a good chance she'll draw attention to herself, without even realizing it… there'll be a lot of friends and family who don't know about aliens, and I would like to keep it that way," Sam mumbled.

"I am sure I could 'fit in,' as you would say," Anise said eagerly. "Freya is very interested as well, but she is shy with large crowds, and with the right chaperone and instructions you do not have to worry about our behavior."

"Come on, Sammie, what could possibly go wrong?"

Sam just stared at her father in disbelief, unable to belief he just said that… she also recognized the look on his face that told her it would be a good thing for repairing the alliance between the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri. Damn him, for playing his 'intergalactic relations'-card! Not able to think of any other convincing arguments, she sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, but she better behave," she hissed at Daniel.

"Jack?" Turning to his friend with hopeful eyes, Daniel raised his eyebrows in an all-telling gesture at Jack.

"What, Daniel?"

"You know," he mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry, Space Monkey, but you're on your own for this one," Jack smirked, watching Daniel's face fall. "I already have a date!"

"You do?"

He groaned and rolled his eyes at the incredulity in the archeologist’s voice. "God, Daniel, you don't have to act so skeptical."

"No, I didn't mean to, it's just that you didn't tell me… who is it? Are you and Kerry back together?" He asked, frowning at Jack. He sure hoped not; he still thought Sam should dump Pete and get together with Jack… He’d never really liked Kerry all that much either.

Jack just waved his hand over his shoulder before leaving for his office. He had paperwork to complete!

* * *

"Carter, you're still here?" Jack asked incredulous, seeing as it was already 2100 hours and it was her day off, after all.

"Yes Sir, just working on some last details," she looked up.

"Sam, what time do you want me there tomorrow?" Daniel waltzed into her lab, plopping down on her extra stool.

"I don't know, do you have to be at the briefing?"

"Jack?"

"I don't think so, but I haven't heard anything from the Tok'ra yet, so who knows… but if you have to be, it'll only be the morning, just like Dad," Jack said, looking at Carter at his last words.

"So, should I come by in the early afternoon?"

Sam nodded at Daniel, and then turned back to the General. "Sir, was there anything I could help you with?"

"Actually, I came by to drop of this," Jack said while showing her an average sized box.

"What is it?"

Smiling at the eagerness in her eyes – damn her and those eyes – he just told her to "Open it."

Sam ripped the box open and then realized what it was; the artifacts that he had been talking about in Washington DC.

"Jack, I didn't know they were here already! Now do you know where they came from?"

"All I know is that they were bought from one of the heirs of some art collector, who started his collection during the First World War," Jack shrugged.

"I would love to know more, could you ask that Ilse for me?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself," Sam muttered, not realizing it was loud enough for both of the men to hear her.

"Carter?"

"I would Sam, but I don't know how to contact her," Daniel said doubtfully.

"She's going to be there tomorrow," Sam told him, while looking up at her CO from under her lashes. She didn't want to like the woman and she wasn't happy with her coming to the party, but the General had invited her, so…

"What? Why, how?"

"The General is taking her."

Jack was surprised to hear her accusing tone and quirked an eyebrow at her, but she didn't notice since she was ducking her head. Daniel was all over him, asking about Ilse and would only leave after Jack had promised he'd introduce them and would make Ilse tell him about the artifacts. "So, is everything intact, Carter?"

Confused for a moment, she scrunched up her nose and looked at him questioningly, until he gestured to the box. "Oh, yes, looks like it, Sir."

"Don't want to try them out?"

"On what, Sir? Or are you volunteering?" If she were honest, Sam wasn't looking forward to trying them out, but she knew she had to; after all, she was the only one on the planet able to operate these items. At first, she'd been circumspect to use and research the hara'kesh, but now – after learning of the General and Ilse's relationship – she wasn't looking forward to any of the testing any more.

"Er… I'd rather not, if you don't mind, Carter," Jack said, backing towards the doorway. "Go home, Carter, you have a long day ahead of you, tomorrow."

"Yes Sir," she reluctantly replied, putting the items back in the box and picking it up to put in the vault. "I'll just lock these up and go home to Pete."

 _Did she have to mention that_ cop _?_  Keeping a blank face, Jack just nodded, "You do that, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes Sir… What about you General, are you going home as well, or do long hours only apply to your subordinates?"

It amazed Jack that she always thought of others – especially when it came to their health and work – but she never took herself in account. "Oh no, I'm leaving too, Ilse will land in an hour or so," he mentioned, glancing at his watch.


	11. Dress Up

"Here we are," Jack said as he pulled up to his driveway. Parking the truck, he killed the engine and took out the key, before jumping out and walking around back to grab Ilse's bag.

Ilse slipped out of the truck and walked over to the door – which of course wasn't locked – and went inside. Hanging up her coat she cast a quick glance around the living room. "You haven't been home for days, have you?"

"Nope," he responded, on his way to the guest room with her bag. "Now, that you mention it," he yelled back, "I don't even know if I have any food."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, not the least bit surprised. Opening the fridge almost made her pass out from the stench of expired… food? Ducking, she opened one of the lower cabinets, grabbing a new garbage bag and with it she started clearing out all the expired products… which only left a few bottles of beer, two eggs and a bottle of lemonade. "Maybe I should buy some stuff."

Walking down the hallway and overhearing her mumbling, Jack volunteered. "I could do it."

"That's real sweet of you, Jack, but seeing as what you had in the fridge, I think it would be wiser for me to visit the grocery shop."

"Hey, I resent that!" She just quirked an eyebrow at him and he shrugged in response. "Maybe you're right… Unlike you, I'm not that great a cook."

Ilse laughed at his form of an apology and handed him the garbage bag. "You make it sound like I'm a chef in the kitchen, which I'm not."

"A better chef than I could ever be," Jack replied before taking out the trash.

When he got back inside, she asked him where he'd placed her bag because there was some paperwork she brought him. Quickly running to the guestroom – which was in the same state as she'd left it the other day – she started digging in her bag, trying to find the folder she'd brought along. Letting out a triumphant sound when she finally found it, she left for the living room and sat down next to Jack, passing him the papers.

"What's this?"

"Some of them are informative, a few are request forms, and the rest consists of legal documents," she said, waving vaguely with her hand at nothing. "Lily asked me to bring them with me, because she wasn't sure when she'd see you again. The legal documents were drafted by or at least came from one of the law firms my company works with which also deals with international law…"

Jack sighed, listening to her voice trailing off… he really didn't want this. Of course, he would do it and he should probably feel honored and all, but it also meant that he had to accept the fact that Lily might die. "I really don't want to think about this," he said rather brusque.

Turning towards him, scowling Ilse's voice somehow came out overly emotional. "And you think I do? She is my sister too, you know!"

Restlessly, Jack got up and stuffed his hands in his pockets, before pacing in front of the television. "I know that, of course I know that," he muttered, rubbing his hands over his face. "It's just that- I don't know, it's just not fair."

"Yeah," Ilse said in a small voice, hugging her arms around her knees on the couch. "But signing them doesn't mean that she will die, it's just a precaution. Like a will, she's just a bit younger than most people…"

Jack looked at the curled up figure and could almost see the sadness radiating from her body. Sitting back next to her, he whispered, "That last part is what bothers me," which caused her to sob. "C'mere."

Ilse felt his arms envelope her in a hug, and she placed her face in the crook of his neck. She knew that no one expected Jack to be a teddy bear, but he could always calm her down with one of his hugs. "It's so unfair, she's so young, beautiful, talented, and she has a baby… babies," she sniffed. "This shouldn't be happening to her, why can't it be me?"

"Whoa there, don't go saying crazy stuff like that," Jack said soothingly stroking her hair. "You're young, smart, beautiful, and talented as well."

"But she has a family," Ilse sobbed.

"You know I'd trade places with her in heart beat, right?" He felt her nod against his shoulder and wished there was something he could do. He already knew from his blending experience that the healing device couldn't handle this type of disease, perhaps if they'd caught it earlier – but that's always hard with a pancreas. And even if he wanted her to and could convince her to blend with a Tok'ra – which he wouldn't recommend to anyone, especially not after what that treacherous snake did to him – it wouldn't be of any help since she was pregnant… The only thing he could do now was to sign the papers and work out all the details, so that was what he would do, he decided. Right after Ilse had calmed down a bit…

* * *

"O'Neill," Jack barked in the phone. Who the hell calls at 0500 hours?

" _Jack!"_

"Daniel?" Of course, Space Monkey… knowing full well that he’d to get up in an hour, Jack thought irritated. "What the hell?"

" _I know it's a bit early-"_

"A bit?" He asked sarcastically. "Couldn't this wait for another, oh I don't know… hour?"

" _Uh, maybe… but now that you're awake it doesn't matter, now does it?"_

Jack didn't even respond to that, except for the groan that left his mouth.

" _It's about Anise…"_

"What did the snake do?" He rolled his eyes; those snakes were  _so_  predictable _._

" _She didn't do anything, why?"_ When it seemed like he wouldn't get a response, Daniel continued.  _"I know I kind of invited her and that you want me to take care of her, but I really don't know what she should wear…"_

"You're waking me up because the snake doesn't know what to  _wear_?"

" _Well, I don't want her to stand out in the crowd, but I don't know where to get her a dress or something that's appropriate. I don't even know what's appropriate for a formal party like this, the only engagement parties or weddings I've been to were off-world…"_

Jack sighed and ruffled his hair, while trying to maintain a friendly tone. "How should I know, Daniel?"

" _Well, you're taking Ilse, what is she wearing?"_

"Again, how should I know?"

" _She didn't tell or show you? Where did she get her outfit?"_

"It was kind of late when she got here, so no. She probably bought the dress in Europe or already had it, if she's even wearing a dress…"

" _Late, huh? Is she still there?"_

"Daniel," Jack groaned in a warning.

" _Oh come on, just ask her!"_

"I'm not gonna wake her for that damn snake."

" _Then do it for Freya?"_  Daniel tried hopeful.

"Right now, I'm not so sure if I even _like_ Freya, so that argument won't fly."

" _Jack, please?"_

"Just ask Carter."

" _I thought about it…"_

"So…? Why didn't you and called me of all people?"

"… _I didn't want to wake her."_

"Daniel!" Jack yelled, before hanging up the phone.

 

* * *

"Daniel?"

"Sam!"

Sam stepped back, allowing Daniel to come in. "What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be done for a few more hours?"

"Yes, but Anise came back late last night and told us that the Tok'ra High Council wanted to postpone the briefing."

"What, why?"

"Apparently, they – like Anise and Freya – didn't realize the significance of your, eh… party, betrothal or whatever you want to call it. After hearing that this was something important in our culture and learning that Anise and Freya were invited, they didn't want to disrupt your ceremony."

"Oh… they do realize there isn't an actual ceremony, right?" Sam asked, sleepily.

Daniel blushed and shrugged his shoulders. "I may have forgotten to mention that," he admitted sheepishly.

Sam smiled at him and handed him a cup of coffee, before settling down in the living room. "That still doesn't explain why you're here at 0730…"

"Ah yes, well, there is a good explanation for that. You see, Anise was asking me questions about it and all of a sudden I realized that I didn't know what she should, eh… wear."

She just stared at him, wondering what had happened to her best friend and who had taken his place… "What?"

"Well, she's not supposed to stand out and since I'm the one that has to chaperone her, I have to make sure that she is properly dressed. All she had with her was one of her, eh… slightly revealing outfits and one of those brown Tok'ra outfits your father always seems to wear."

"I see… No, wait, I don't," she said, scrunching up her face in confusion.

"Sam," Daniel sighed. "First of all, I'm a guy. Secondly, the only formal parties I've been to were off-world. Third of all, I've been kind of out of the loop with what women wear these days and I sure as hell don't know where to buy it."

When Daniel was done, Sam couldn't help herself but snicker. "Oh Daniel," she smiled, tears forming in her eyes. "I guess that means you have to take her shopping!"

"It's not funny, Sam!"

"On the contrary," she laughed, wiping at her eyes. "Besides, it's not like she can wear my clothes, so you have to buy her something."

Daniel waited until she done making fun of him and then she showed him her dress and gave him instructions.

 

* * *

"Daniel," Jack questioned as he opened the door. "Oh, hi Carter, Anise and Freya," he said as Daniel stepped aside. Because the Tok'ra meeting had been canceled, he'd decided to take the day to enjoy it until he had to go to Carter's shindig… apparently, they had other plans.

"Can we come in, Sir?"

Jack nodded and opened the door, gesturing with his hand. "What brings you to this neck of the woods on this fine day?"

"Well, I went to Sam this morning," Daniel explained, ignoring Jack's glare. "She gave me a few instructions and boutiques and Anise, Freya and I went, eh…"

"Shopping?" Jack smirked, waggling his eyebrows as he walked to the living room.

"Yes, Jack, we went shopping," he sighed.

Sam snickered and asked if Cassie had arrived yet.

"Noooo, I thought she would go to your place?" Jack said hesitantly. After Janet Fraiser's death, he and Carter had gotten joined guardianship over the alien girl and she’d just started college. Jack knew she didn't like Pete – ever since she'd come to Earth she'd been playing matchmaker between himself and Carter – but she had promised she'd be here for Carter.

"I should call her," Sam said wary. "That way Daniel can continue his story."

"Yes, so we went shopping," Daniel started after Sam had turned away and Jack went to the kitchen to pour them _something_ to drink.

"Your planet really is amazing, never before have I seen so much trade in one place only for clothing articles," Anise stated with wide eyes.

Nodding, Jack placed the glasses on the table. "I'm guessing you took her to the mall?"

Daniel nodded and explained that Anise and Freya had had a hard time choosing a dress. So they had bought several and now they wanted to know which one would be appropriate.

"Okay," Jack drawled out. "Why come here?"

"Well, Sam thought Cassie would be here already, so that way she could help choose." Daniel said, as if explaining something to a five year-old. "Oh and I figured that Ilse might be helpful as well."

Jack noticed the look Daniel gave him with that last statement, but decided to ignore the archeologist for now.

"Cassie's flight was delayed and she'll be landing in two hours," Sam said, joining the two men and the Tok'ra in the living room.

"Should we wait?" Daniel asked tentatively, while sipping his drink.

"No, Dad, Teal'c and Pete are now making sure everything is set right, but I'm sure there will be plenty of other things to do. We might as well do it now."

Daniel looked around and glanced between Jack and Sam. He gingerly asked "What about Ilse?"

Sam cringed involuntarily, not even wanting to know how Daniel knew she'd be here and resisting the urge to look around the room for any sign of her. Instead, she finished the drink the General had given her.

"She's out grocery shopping, apparently I'm not good enough to do that," Jack mockingly complained.

Anise, who had been studying the interior design of Jack's house, took this as a sign to go and get dressed. Jack told her to use the bathroom around the corner; there was plenty of room…

Jack turned his head towards the door as soon as he heard his truck pull up. "Ah, just in time for the show."

Ilse opened the door with one hand, holding a bag of groceries in the other, while talking on the phone with Lily through her headset. "Ik kom net binnen…" She waved with her – now free – hand while she walked over to the kitchen to put the bag on the counter to be put away later. "Wacht even, een moment…" She told her to hang on a moment, while she would take off the headset.

Following her with his eyes, Jack waited until she turned to him to see who she was talking to. She was talking quietly, so he had a hard time hearing her, let alone understand  _what_  she was saying, but if he had to guess it was Lily. "Anyone wants something to drink?" He asked Carter and Daniel who were still staring at Ilse, while waiting for Anise/Freya to get dressed. He snapped his fingers, which got their attention and held up their now empty glasses.

"Oh, no, it's either beer or lemonade and I don't want the first and am not sure if the last was actually strawberry flavored."

"No thank you, Sir," Sam told him absentminded.

"I'm pretty sure Ilse bought new drinks as well, Danny."

Daniel still shook his head, claiming he wasn't thirsty anymore.

Jack shrugged and walked back to the kitchen, passing Ilse on his way who mouthed 'Lily' to him. So he was right! When he got back to the room, he saw that Ilse had moved closer to the couch and he snuck up behind her. He quickly grabbed her cell phone from her hand and jumped back in his seat on the couch. "Hey Lil!"

Sam was staring at the General by now, she wasn't used to see this side of him… sure, he could act childish from time to time – which could be quite adorable – but not like this, he actually stole her cell phone and was chatting amicably with the person on the other end. She turned her head and saw that Ilse was just glaring at him, undignified. Daniel looked like he was shocked as well – all thoughts of Anise/Freya forgotten.

"Um… I don't think I've properly introduced myself," Ilse said bashfully as she proceeded towards Daniel. "Dr. Jackson, right? I'm Ilse Lindeman."

Daniel was brought out of his stupor by her shy voice, and got up to shake her hand. "Yes, please, call me Daniel," he smiled charmingly at her.

"Alright Daniel, but only if you call me Ilse," grinning, she continued. "I thought you were in the briefing room as well, the other day?"

Nodding his head in an affirmative, she apologized to him for not introducing herself that day. "It's okay; I heard you were in a hurry to get home."

"A meeting actually, but yes, I didn't have a lot of time although that's not a good excuse."

"What do you think?" Anise came walking into the room, wearing one of her purchases. Everyone – except Jack, who was still chatting with Lily on the phone – looked up and after a short silence, it became clear that perhaps the dress would be a bit too daring for a formal party. "That is alright, I have several other examples to show you. This does not mean that I will not be able to keep the dress, does it Daniel?"

Daniel told her she could keep all the dresses, since Jacob - who'd have thought? – had already paid for everything. When she left to change, Daniel turned back to Ilse and started a new conversation. "We got the artifacts yesterday."

"Yes, they all looked in perfect condition," Sam added. "I guess that's why you were at the General's the other day?" Sam innocently tried to ask the question that had been bothering her for a while now.

"Oh no, that was, eh… a social call," Ilse explained, referring to the evening that Sam and Pete came by. "No, my assistant had it delivered as soon as it arrived, per my instructions."

"Ah, right, I see," Sam nodded and tried to focus her attention on something else, before she really made a fool out of herself. Of course it was a social visit! What else could have happened? She came by to drop of the artifacts and they mysteriously ended up in the shower together? Shaking her head, Sam let go of the faint hope she'd had that perhaps Ilse  _had_ come by and accidently got dirty, thus needing a shower. It was stupid and she had to stop thinking about it – them, him. Today they’d be celebrating her engagement to Pete, that's where her thoughts should be!

"Well I can tell you that that sister of yours is absolutely driving me crazy, insisting to go grocery shopping and telling me not to come along because I wouldn't know food if I tripped over it," Jack cheerily said to Lily on the phone while smiling evilly at Ilse.

Sam turned her head to see Ilse's reaction, but she was just rolling her eyes and sticking her tongue at the General – real mature _…_  Wait, he was talking with her  _sister_? He already knew her sister? And by the sounds of it, pretty well.

"I'm glad to hear that, what about my little niece?"

Stunned, Sam was actually agape, staring at him.  _His_  niece? They were already sharing family? Holy Hannah!

"Yes, please put her on, that way I can talk to her."

Daniel was probably just as stunned as Sam was, he thought glancing to his side to look at her – yes, definitely as stunned as Sam. But he thought it was actually quite endearing to hear Jack talk so freely to someone – they were like family and he knew Jack cared about them, but that didn't mean he always spoke his mind – especially hearing him talk to a small child. Suddenly Ilse, who walked over and plopped down next to Jack, scooting until she was sitting against him, blocked Daniel's vision.

"Jack," she put her hand on his arm, to get his attention.

"Yes, it's Uncle Jack, sweetie."

"Jaaack," Ilse prodded his side, which got his attention.

"Oh and your auntie Ilse," he mock glared at her.

"Even if she's actually listening to you and able to combine your voice, words and image, I doubt she already understands English," Ilse admonished him. "She's only a few months old, Jack."

"You always have to ruin my fun, don't you?" He sighed at her, but grinned before handing her the phone so "you can translate."

It didn't take long for Ilse to get Lily back on the phone and after a quick "Bye" they hung up. "Was that the Tok'ra you told me about, Jack?"

"Who?"

"Anise just came back to show her first dress, Jack," Daniel rolled his eyes at him. "Didn't you notice?"

"No, but yes that was her. Danny, how many does 'several' mean?"

"I have no idea, I figured she probably got two or three dresses, right?" Daniel looked at Sam and Ilse, who both snorted.

"If she had a problem choosing a dress and bought 'several', we'll be here a while," Ilse giggled.

"Great! Just what I need; a Tok'ra dress up," Jack uttered. "Why couldn't she just choose one?"

"I don't know, perhaps because it was all new to her?" Daniel offered.

Ilse shook her head at his argument. "I doubt that has anything to with it."

"Why?" Jack drawled out.

"I've been on this planet my entire life and I couldn't choose which dress I should wear," she smiled.

"What?"

"Yeah, I brought three dresses though, including matching accessories… why did you think my bag was so heavy?"


	12. Prepping

"Honey, I'm home," Pete yelled as he stepped through the door. "Sam?"

"In the bedroom," she responded.

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He murmured a greeting while pressing a kiss on her exposed shoulder.

Sam turned around in his arms, gave him a smile, and pressed her lips against his. "Hey."

"I missed you," he whispered, before deepening their kiss.

After a few seconds, Sam broke away slightly. "Yeah, sorry about that, I just got back home. Never, ever, get talked into helping a Tok'ra find a suitable dress for a formal party," she sighed. "Or invite them to said party, for that matter."

She wasn't exaggerating; they'd been forced to wait while Anise/Freya put on all seven dresses, while the General and his  _girlfriend_  were engaged in a flirty banter. Never one to get easily annoyed, the entire situation had irritated her more than she could admit. Honestly, it wasn't just Anise or the General, it was the combination which had tired her out. When they'd finally convinced Anise to wear dress number four, Sam had been able to get home and prep her own attire. She'd only gotten in a little over ten minutes ago, hung her dress out and took off her clothes to get ready for her shower. All the while thinking about her situation; it was obvious the General had moved on – if she were honest she'd been the one to do it first, but that didn't mean it left her unaffected – and she had decided to try and forget about him, she'd chosen Pete and she would completely focus on him. After all, she'd been feeling like an imposter lately, especially when she was  _with_  Pete and he didn't deserve that – she really did love him…

"I promise, I won't invite aliens to the wedding," Pete smirked at her. "Unless you want them there, of course," he hastily added.

Smiling, she caressed his cheek before turning her attention back to her dress. "Did you finish setting everything up?"

Pete told her he and his mother had checked off their list and Teal'c and her father had made sure the tables had been set properly. Her father and Teal'c had left to drop Teal'c off to base, while Jacob was going to get Mark and his family from the airport. "How about relaxing for a bit, before we have to entertain our friends?" He asked, while sliding his arms around her from behind to untie her bathrobe.

"Pete," Sam objected, unsuccessfully trying to swat his hands away. "We don't have the time for this; I still have to shower and get dressed and my father-"

"I'm sure he understands, babe. After all, I doubt he is  _that_  old fashioned." Pete caressed her stomach with his one hand, while the other pulled the robe down her shoulders.

Sam hadn't been in the mood, still frustrated about her stay at the General's house and a bit nervous for today – which was ridiculous, since they would only be celebrating their engagement with loved ones, not battle super soldiers or anything. As soon as his hand trailed down her bare back and up to cup her breast, she felt herself relax though and she leaned back against him. "Hmm…" She moaned, as his fingertips traced tantalizing over her breast and moved to outline her aureole. His other hand trailed down her stomach, slipping between her thighs silently asking her to part them. She did and his hand came up again, touching her through her panties, drawing circles over the fabric making her shudder with anticipation.

Pressing wet kisses on her neck and shoulder, he could feel himself getting aroused while touching her. Pete wanted her; mark her as his before they went out to the party so that everyone knew she belonged to him. His one hand kneading her breast, waiting for her nipple to peak so he could flick it, while his other hand was brushing her clit through her underwear. He pressed himself against her naked body, rubbing his arousal against her ass, letting her know what she did to him. He let his fingers increase the pressure while stroking her, trying to get her all hot and wet. Sneaking his hand under the cotton, he slipped one of his fingertips in her opening and felt she was getting there. Panting, he pressed his erection harder against her, the building pressure almost getting too much. Annoyed that she was taking longer than him, he pinched her nipple and rubbed her clit even harder.

"Ow," Sam uttered, at his light assault on her body. Her hips bucked as he thrust two fingers inside and pressed her clit down hard with his thumb. She felt his erection pressing against her and she knew he was incredibly aroused. "Pete," she moaned, trying to turn to see him. Instead, she felt him push her forward on the bed and thanks to her military training she was able to brace herself, by putting her hands out in front of her, effectively breaking her fall. His fingers slipped out of her and his other hand left her body as well taking her panties with it, and she could hear him unzip his pants and throwing off his shirt. The mattress shifted under his weight and before she realized it, he pulled her up by her hips placing her on all fours. "Pete?"

"Sam," Pete moaned, pushing her knees further apart with his and pressing his hard cock against her clit and slid it up to her opening. He felt her muscles tense, so he placed one of his hands on her hips, and the other slid down in front of her, stroking her. She relaxed and he dipped his finger inside her, testing her, while his erection pressed against her thigh. Deciding she was ready, his hand joined the other on her hips to steady her, before he slid inside of her. He was already panting from repressing the earlier urge to just throw her on the bed and take her and as she steadied herself on hands and knees, shifting slightly, he tried to catch his breath. Not being able to keep holding back, he started moving, thrusting into her, pulling back, creating a rhythm.

Sam arched her back as he entered her and she tried thrusting back, clenching her inner muscles around him to get off. He kept thrusting into her and she urged him to go "Faster," putting her weight on her left arm she raised her right hand to touch herself. "Harder, Pete," she mumbled, hearing him pant with exertion. She knew he was close when his hand trailed up her back and then down to her side, to squeeze her breast gently and his hips were jerking. Rubbing her clit harder, flicking it and alternating pressure didn't make her come before him and he collapsed on her back.

"God, that was good," he breathed hard. Pushing himself back up, he swatted her ass before getting up and disappearing into the bathroom. He liked to be in control in the bedroom – well, not just there – and enjoyed it when she was pinned under him, but this had been great as well.  _Damn good_ , he thought, smirking. He took a quick shower, cleaning his body thoroughly and enjoying his good mood.  _I really should thank Rob for suggesting it, I never thought about being in control in that position_. Thinking about it, he realized it was actually rather obvious: wasn't that the reason a man used to take his females like that? Grabbing her hips, just pull her closer, and plunge into her…

As soon as the bathroom door opened and Pete came out, Sam got up, grabbed her robe, and walked in. She needed to hurry to get ready in time, because even though it was a quickie, it had ruined her schedule… Turning on the faucet, she stepped under the shower, washing their mixed fluids from her thighs, before doing her usual routine. Apparently, Pete wasn't as unadventurous as she’d thought… not that she would call it an unusual position, but they’d been together for about a year now and he had never tried this once! __

* * *

"Are you done yet?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Almost, just a minute."

"Ilse, you said that ten minutes ago," Jack let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed his hand over his face. "I don't see what's wrong with those other two dresses, you know?" His head jerked up when he heard the door and giving her an onceover, he smiled. "Okay, maybe this one is the best."

"Why, Jack was that a compliment?" Ilse teasingly asked him, while twirling around. "I think this is my favorite."

"Yeah, mine too," he smirked, eyeing the dress with an appreciative glance. "So, are we ready to go?"

"Yes, after I've done my makeup and hair."

"What's wrong with the way you look now?" He asked her incredulous. She looked beautiful; the dark purple dress setting of the green of her eyes, while complimenting her slim figure and long legs and her long hair was cascading down her back in a whirl of curls.

"Are you serious," she eyed him suspiciously. "I have to re-powder my T-zone, or else I'll be all shiny and my hair is a mess."

Having no idea what she walking talking about regarding the makeup, he ignored her first statement. "Your hair looks great!"

"No, it doesn't Jack."

"Please, those blonde curls are just begging to be touched," he said, mockingly pulling a lock of her hair. "You look fine, now put on your shoes so we can go."

"Wow, I'd almost say you're anxious to get there," she mumbled, yet did as he asked.

"Nah, just don't want an angry Carter for being late without a proper excuse," he smirked.

"Doing my hair would be a pro-"

"No, you've had all day. Now we're leaving."

"But it makes me look so young…"

"You  _are_  young," he grinned, pushing her towards the door.

"Fine, it makes me look young _er_."

"Whatever," Jack murmured, helping her in the truck. He walked around and got in, started the engine and left to 'celebrate' Carter's engagement.  _Yeah, can't wait…_

* * *

"Dad!"

Jacob turned around to see his son in the midst of the crowd. He smiled at Mark and walked towards him, giving him a hug as he reached him. "Mark, how was your flight? Where is the family?"

"It was fine… didn't Pete tell you? The kids are down with the flu, but I already promised Pete and Sam I'd be here, so…"

Jacob nodded his understanding and led his son down to the car. Just because Selmak was over 2,000 years old didn't mean Jacob had gained any of her patience after their blending, so after a few minutes he couldn't stop himself. "What can you tell me about this guy?"

Mark was startled with his father's lack of subtlety, but quickly regained his composure. "Pete? He's a good guy, Dad. He really likes Sam, loves her and he wants to marry her."

"Yeah, I heard. Why did you introduce them?"

"What do you mean, why? We both know Sam hardly does anything outside of work, she never meets a guy – at least not one who isn't in the military," he added hastily as he saw that Jacob wanted to protest. "And she deserves to have someone, to have a family. I just thought maybe they'd like each other, and apparently I was right," he smiled.

Jacob just nodded: if only his son knew how wrong he was. He and Selmak might not always be around, but he knew what kind of effect his daughter had on the other sex – even if she was oblivious to it herself. Martouf had been smitten with her and not just because of Jolinar and Jacob couldn't blame him; she was a great person. She always reminded him of her mother, not just because of her looks, but also her kind and gentle character. Daniel always had a lot of fun in teasing Sammie with all her admirers, so Jacob knew Martouf hadn't been the only one – alien or human.

Of course, there was Jack… the first time he'd met Jack in DC he didn't like him. He was black ops, those people were never anything but trouble – look at Jonas – and he had heard of the man, Jack O'Neill, which did nothing to push back his nervousness of knowing this man was his daughter’s CO. He definitely had taken a dislike to the younger man, who was known for his disregard of rules and lack of respect towards superior officers. Jacob hadn't bought the whole 'deep space radar telemetry' bullshit his Sammie had as a cover, and the fact that she was O'Neill's – former special  _and_ black ops - 2IC had made him nervous about the true nature of her work… However, after he was let in on their secret and met the Tok'ra – became host to Selmak – and had worked with SG-1, he started to respect and sometimes even admire Jack O'Neill. Yeah, he never would've picked him for his daughter, but he knew for sure he preferred him over that  _cop._

Jacob had loved his wife - mother of his children - more than he would've ever thought possible and he would've died to save her life. Selmak had reminded him of all the things Jack had done for Sammie and he knew those weren't just risks of the job. No, Selmak had convinced him that Jack O'Neill loved his daughter. His only daughter; the one who would be celebrating her engagement to another man today – a man Jacob didn't know, but also didn't like, no matter what Mark said. Selmak agreed with him and she had a lot more of experience.

* * *

"How do you feel about all of this?"

"I find it rather peculiar, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c solemnly said. "Anise was correct: the Tau'ri never cease to amaze me in their culture, habits, and festivities."

Daniel chuckled at his friend and waved his hand around. "No, I meant this. Sam and Pete."

"I have stated before that I do not think Pete Shanahan worthy of Colonel Carter." Teal'c cocked his head to the side and looked at the archeologist. "I believe Colonel Carter still has unresolved feelings for O'Neill and that she is making a mistake."

"Yeah, that about sums it up," Daniel muttered. "I still think Jack should've told her how he feels, though. Sam isn't the only one making a mistake."

"Indeed she is not."

"I doubt she would've accepted the proposal if Jack got his head out of his ass and told her he loves her. I even tried convincing him to talk to her after the engagement, but he just ignored me."

"I am unsure if it would change any future events."

"What? Of course it would, what are you talking about, Teal'c?"

"Colonel Carter is a strong headed woman and I am certain she has contemplated all the possibilities and weighed the consequences of her actions with a high regard to her own thoughts and feelings."

Daniel was amazed and confused at the same time; Teal'c never spoke so much in such a short time.  _I was right, he is so deep…_

"O'Neill possesses the same strong headedness and he became cautious with his emotions after past events. I am confident he reciprocates Colonel Carter's feelings, yet at the same time he knows he cannot offer her the life he thinks she deserves. Thus he will let her go to find her happiness, even if that means she will find it in another man's arms."

After all that, Daniel was left standing astounded by the Jaffa.


	13. Party Time

"Well, it's about time you two got here," Hilda, Pete's mother exclaimed when Pete and Sam finally arrived.

"Sorry Mom, we got held up," Pete smirked, hugging his mother.

"I told you to go and get Samantha an hour ago, what took you so long?"

"Like Pete said, we were held up and my planning got screwed up, Mrs. Shanahan," Sam apologetically said, blushing.

Hilda nodded slowly yet skeptically. "All right then… your father already left to pick up Mark, Murray had to go to the base to get dressed and Dr. Jackson is somewhere inside."

Sam left Pete alone with his mother to look for Daniel, who she found standing in the ballroom Pete's mother had hired for today's event. Glancing around the room, Sam realized it really was a great place and the boys had definitely dressed it well. Large tables had been place on one side, the buffet would be placed near the south wall, and on the north side was a dance floor. Smiling she walked up to Daniel. "Hey, it looks great."

"Sam! Yes, it's a great room," he smiled, hugging her. "Wow, look at you! You look great, Sam!" Daniel took an appreciative look at her silver and blue dress; the thin silver straps left her shoulders almost completely exposed, the dark blue ray started just below the left strap and was weaved in a diagonal pattern to her right hip. He made a hand gesture for her to twirl and he could see the blue ray continuing on the low of her back to come around her other hip, and from there the dress widened and reached her ankles, the blue ray crossing her legs and ending besides her right ankle.

"Thanks Daniel," Sam smiled shyly. "You look quite handsome yourself."

Daniel shrugged, feeling uncomfortable in the black tux. "Your father already left to pick up Mark from the airport and Teal'c left for the base, he forgot to take his change of clothes with him."

"I know, Hilda told me," Sam nodded.

"Right, she's a bit of a, eh… a control freak, huh?" He whispered, gesturing in the direction of Pete and his mother.

Sam chuckled and told him he was right, before Pete came walking towards them.

"Daniel, thank you for helping me and my mother today," Pete smiled, clapping him on his shoulder.

"Sure," Daniel shrugged. "It was no problem."

"This is great," Pete exclaimed, turning around gesturing at the room. "Have you seen the paintings in this building?"

"Um… yeah, I saw the one at the south wall and of course the large one at the opposite wall."

"No, those are boring, I meant the rest of the building."

"I haven't had time to walk around," Daniel said through gritted teeth, wondering if that what he’d been doing while Teal'c, Jacob and himself had been setting everything up.

"Babe, do you remember how I told you about that painter I liked? There are few of his paintings around here, come and I'll show you."

Sam frowned; she couldn't remember him ever talking about paintings… "I'll see you later Daniel." She walked away with Pete, wondering about these paintings…

"Okay, I'll just, eh… stay here and wait for other people to arrive," Daniel said, seeing her walk away with her fiancé. Turning around he came face to face with Hilda, Pete's mother. "Oh, hello," he stammered.

"Where is Pete?"

"Oh, he went to show Sam around, he said something about paintings?"

"Paintings, huh? Well, if you'll stay here and welcome the first guests, I'll go get them," she said, walking away without waiting for a response. Turning around, she told him the caterer could arrive any minute now and he should show them to the south wall.

* * *

"I don't remember you talking about paintings, Pete," Sam said while walking through the building with him.

"Didn't I tell you I always went to the art gallery with my friend Rob in Denver?"

Searching her mind for anything resembling such information, Sam came up empty. "No, I don't think you did…"

"Well, I did. There's this painter who has great paintings in the gallery near Rob's place and Rob told me some of his work was hanging here as well. He's quite known in the art world for his work…" Pete's voice trailed off, telling her about the painters work. They went into the next room and he walked over to the painting on the wall. "See?"

Sam looked at the painting, which contained a young woman lying upside down on a couch, her long wavy hair cascading down to the floor, wearing a dark blue dress that had slid up to her mid thighs and an eye mask – hiding most of her facial features, except the tip of her nose and a faint smile. The painting was rather normal, except for the detailed way the woman was painted while everything in the background looked fading. The woman's pose wasn't very provocative, but after looking at the picture for a while Sam got the eerily feeling she had walked into something private.

Pete saw her expression change and smiled at her. "Weird huh?"

"What?"

"It looks completely normal when you look at it, but the longer you look the more intimate it feels," he explained, gesturing at the woman.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, that's why you like it?"

"I guess… art has never really done anything for me, but this just holds my attention. He has another painting, with the same woman I think, where she's sitting in a field and there's this doe in the background and every time I look at it I could swear the doe moves her head a bit after a few seconds."

"Here you two are," Pete's mother exclaimed from the doorway. "Are you looking at that painter of yours, Pete?"

"Yes Mom, we'll be there in a few."

"I guess you're right, it's rather peculiar," Sam stated, turning her back on the painting. Glancing back, she scrunched up her nose. "I can't help but feel like I'm missing something, there is something familiar about her."

"About the woman? Well, she is beautiful," Pete smirked, putting his arm around her shoulders. "But I don't know if she looks familiar… My mother wants to buy me one of his paintings for our new house," he added.

Sam looked up, startled. "Oh, okay…"

"You don't like it?"

"No, it's not that," Sam rushed to say. It was true, she just hadn't thought about their new house. The house he'd bought for the two of them, just like she'd described to him that night about a year ago. If she were honest, she had no idea what he'd been talking about when he showed her the house, telling her it was just like she wanted with the exception of a yellow kitchen. When he had shown her around, she remembered the description she'd given him. It hadn't been her dream house, it was just something she'd seen in one of Teal'c's redecorating magazines and had described it, because he expected her to say something… She knew most girls dreamt about their wedding day and some even went as far as plan it, but she had never been one of them and instead had dreamt of going into space, to reach the stars while she’d been playing with her Major Matt Mason doll.

* * *

Jack and Ilse walked into the building, her arm hooked loosely into his when he warned her to be careful with what she said.

"Excuse me?"

"With what you say, Daniel once said his grandfather was Dutch, so watch your comments while he's around," he winked at her, making her smile.

"Okay, I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything," Ilse smirked.

"Daniel!" Jack yelled, grabbing Ilse's arm and walking them towards his friend.

"Ah good, you're here," Daniel smiled. "I don't know where Sam and Pete are, they were just here a few minutes ago," he mumbled. "Anyways, his mother insisted I show the guests towards their table…"

"There are seating arrangements?" Jack asked surprised, it wasn't something he could associate with Carter throwing parties.

"Yes, Teal'c, Jacob, Pete's mother, Mark, Cassie, General Hammond, you and Ilse, Sam and Pete, two of his friends and their partners, and Anise and myself are seated at this table," Daniel gestured.

"Wonderful," Jack sneered, not looking forward to be sharing a table with the 'happy couple'. Oh, even better: he was seated next to Jacob, who was seated next to Carter… at least he’d have Ilse on his other side to keep him and his behavior in line.

Sam smiled as she and Pete came back into the room. "General, you're here on time."

"Luckily, there were no dire emergencies, Carter," he fake smiled at her. Oh yeah, luck was really on his side… "You remember Ilse, right?"

"Hello," Ilse greeted them, smiling to both. "This place looks amazing."

"Thanks," Sam said stiffly. "Pete's mother arranged most of it," she gestured towards Pete and saw him gawking at Ilse's outfit. She had to admit the young woman really looked gorgeous in the purple dress that hugged her upper body and swirled down at the waist. Glancing down, she saw her long legs ending in pumps with a small heel, adding two inches to her height, which almost made her as tall as the General.

"I have to say that I really love your dress, Colonel," Ilse complimented her. "It looks great on you."

Surprised by the woman complimenting her, Sam let out a small "thank you".

"You look pretty stunning in that dress as well," Pete told Ilse, flashing her with his most charming smile, his eyes lingering on her décolletage.

"Um… thanks," she responded, feeling uncomfortable by the leer he was giving her.

"Ilse's right, Carter, you look beautiful," Jack said, trying to keep his voice even and his face blank after admiring the way her silver and blue dress showed off her perfect body.

"Thank you, Sir," a nervous smile played around Sam's lips. "Daniel, where is your date?"

Daniel rolled his eyes at Sam's attempt to tease him and looked at his watch. "I believe she'll be here in half an hour."

"You're not sure?" Jack questioned, "Why, did she ditch you already?"

Ilse and Sam both stifled a giggle at Jack's quip, which didn't go unnoticed by the men.

"Yes, that was very hilarious," Daniel said exasperated, glaring at the two women. "No Jack, Teal'c had to go back to base to get changed and he offered to pick her up."

"What about Hammond and Cassie, are they here yet?"

"Not yet."

"I haven't seen or heard from them yet, Sir."

Jack nodded and gestured towards the table. "I guess we should take our seats already," pulling back a chair for Ilse, he helped her in her seat, before sitting down himself.

"I guess this place is as good as any to wait for Anise," Daniel mumbled, sitting down at his place next to Ilse. "Now that you're here, I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about the artifacts," Daniel asked her, turning in his chair.

After looking at Jack for approval, she nodded. "Sure thing, fire away."

* * *

Holding his coke and a glass of white wine, Jack walked back to the table. The first of the guests had arrived, most of them were friends of Pete, and some were SGC personnel he noticed. He handed Ilse her glass of wine, sighing as he heard Daniel was still asking her about her work for the SGC.

"Daniel, aren't you supposed to keep an eye on Anise?"

"What? Well, yeah, but she won't be here for another," Daniel glanced at his watch, before continuing. "Oh, she should've been here ten minutes ago!"

"Yup, and I can tell you that Teal'c doesn't seem to be amused by the situation," Jack mentioned, pointing at Teal'c and Anise across the room. "So engrossed in conversation you forgot the time?"

Smiling sheepishly, he felt himself blush. "Yeah, I guess. I should go relieve Teal'c."

"Thanks for the wine," Ilse smiled at Jack after Daniel left the table to greet Anise. "Daniel actually had quite interesting stories."

"I knew you two would hit it off," Jack smirked. "To me all of his crap about rocks doesn't mean anything, but I figured you'd be interested in his mumbling."

"You figured correctly."

"General O'Neill, it's good seeing you again," Anise said as she came up to their table, bowing her head slightly and smiling at him.

"Back at'cha," Jack stated, nodding. "You remember Ilse, right?"

It was the first time Anise noticed the woman sitting next to him and she cocked her head to the side. "You were at General O'Neill's house this morning."

"Yes, I was, you were trying to figure out which dress to wear today, but we didn't get properly introduced," Ilse stated, getting up from her chair. "You are a Tok'ra?"

Anise looked at Daniel, but he told her it was all right; Ilse had clearance.

"Yes, my host's name is Freya and I am Anise, which means 'noble strength'," she smiled a polite smile.

"Really? My name is Ilse, which comes from the German language and it means 'devoted to God'," Ilse explained, returning the smile.

"It amuses me to hear that Tau'ri names have a special meaning as well, just like 'Daniel' means 'God-"

"'God is my judge’," Ilse interrupted her.

"Yes, Daniel told me this when we met," Anise added proudly.

"How did you know?" Daniel asked Ilse, frowning at her.

"I've always been interested in languages and names, and after my sister got pregnant I had to scan all the books for baby names for her," Ilse chuckled.

"Yeah, you're almost as obsessed as the Space Monkey," Jack smirked.

"On Earth 'Freya' is a Norwegian name and it means 'lady’, while 'Anise' is the English name for an herb," Ilse summed up.

"I feel left out," Jack commented, placing a hand on his heart in a mock hurt gesture.

"Actually, 'Jack' is derived from the name 'James' which means 'replaces’, I think."

"Well, that's a crappy name. I preferred not knowing," Jack said.

"'Jonathan' on the other hand means 'God has given’," she continued, smiling at Jack while patting his shoulder. "Better?"

"What are you talking about?" Pete asked, as he and Sam joined the table.

"I believe they are determining the meaning of their given names," Teal'c commented, sitting down at his seat.

Anise inclined her head in agreement. "Indeed, Ilse was kind enough to explain the meaning of our names here on Earth," she stated. "Does 'Teal'c' not stand for 'strength’?"

"Indeed."

"I don't think my name has a special meaning," Pete said.

"Actually, it means 'rock,'" Ilse said with a thoughtful expression. "'Samantha' means 'good listener' and 'told by God' in Hebrew, while the shortened 'Sam' means 'hearing.'"

"I stand corrected, you are even  _more_  obsessed," Jack said. "You should join a TV-quiz some day, perhaps you'll win something."

Ilse smiled at his joke and swatted him playfully on his arm, while spotting General Hammond coming their way over his shoulder. "George!"

"Fine, what does 'George' means?" Jack asked, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"I believe Ilse Lindeman is indicating that General Hammond has arrived," Teal'c's booming voice sounded.

"Indeed," Ilse joked.

Looking around, Jack's eyes landed on General Hammond's bald head and he waved him over.

"Sam, Detective Shanahan," General Hammond greeted the pair, before turning to the rest of the occupants of the table. "Ilse! I had no idea you would be here."

"It's good to see you again, George. You look great, Washington must be taking good care of you," she smiled at him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"No, that would be my granddaughters," he replied chuckling. "Anise, it's good to see you again too."

"It is my pleasure, General Hammond, you look well indeed," Anise stated, bowing her head in Tok'ra fashion.

"Sam, where is your father?"

"He went to pick up Mark, I'm sure he'll arrive here soon, Sir."

"Pete!"

Pete turned around, to see his buddy Rob coming towards him with his wife on his tail. "Rob!" He clapped the man on his shoulder and showed them their place at the table, before introducing him to Sam's friends.

"Rob, you already know Sam," he said, gesturing to Sam.

"Yes I do," he smirked before hugging a surprised Sam.

"These are her friends Murray Teal'c, Dr. Daniel Jackson and his date Anise, General O'Neill and his date Ilse, General Hammond and you know my mother," he said, waving his hand around the table while naming each person. "This is my friend and former colleague Rob Jones and his wife Georgia."

Everyone said their hellos and Pete went to get them something to drink, talking to other people on the way to the bar.

"So, you're a cop as well?" Daniel asked, trying to start conversation.

"Yes, I'm a detective like Pete. We used to work together in Denver, before he met Sam and transferred," Rob smiled. "He introduced Georgia and me to Sam a couple of months ago, when she was visiting him in Denver and we had dinner together. Before I knew it he called me to tell me he wanted to propose and later he told me she was actually crazy enough to accept," he lamely joked.

"I do not understand," Anise stated which caused everyone to look at her. Daniel quickly and quietly explained to her that he worked in law enforcement and was good friends with Pete and that he had been joking about the proposal, after which she nodded.

Jack doubted if she understood it any better the second time around, but he didn't care. Besides, Jacob had once told him most Tok'ra didn't have a good sense of humor – Selmak was the exception – and if Teal'c's jokes were anything to go by, the Goa'uld species just had a lame if any sense of humor… Although, in that case she _should_ understandthat lame joke, he thought. Jack noticed Pete standing next to Carter and when he looked up, he saw Jacob walking up. "Carter, Dad's here."

Sam turned around to see her father coming towards her and she got up to hug him. "Dad, it's about time you got here!"

Jacob returned the hug and then stood back. "We were caught in traffic, I cannot express enough how much I haven’t missed that," he stated, a smile tugging at his lips at his hidden jab. "However, Mark was able to fill me in about a lot of things while we were on our way, so it wasn't a complete waste of time."

Sam hugged her brother and smiled at him. "I'm glad you could make it, I hope the kids aren't too sick?"

"Nah, it's just the flu," he said, walking over to Pete to clasp his shoulder. He looked around the table curiously, only recognizing Rob and his wife from one of Pete's parties and General Hammond as one of his father's old colleagues.

Jacob immediately started talking with General Hammond in a low voice, so Sam touched Mark's arm to get his attention so she could introduce him.

"Mark, I want to introduce you to my friends," she smiled. "This is General O'Neill, my CO, and his date Ilse, Daniel Jackson and his date Anise and Murray Teal'c, we used to be a team before the General was promoted and I took command."

Mark politely shook everyone's hand, his eyebrows rising a bit when he noticed Ilse and Anise and he plainly frowned when Teal'c stood to greet him.

"Jack!" Jacob amicably said, holding out his arm in an unconscious Tok'ra greeting, which Jack returned.

"Dad! How've you been?"

"Who is this lovely young lady next to you?"

"Ah, this is Ilse. Ilse, this is Carter's Dad, retired Major General Jacob Carter," he introduced the two of them, before leaning over to whisper "And host to the Tok'ra Selmak" in her ear.

Nodding, Ilse took his hand and gave him a wide, knowing smile. "It's a pleasure meeting you, General Carter."

Jacob waved his hand and told her to call him "Jacob," before walking around the couple. "Daniel, it's good seeing you in one piece," he smiled, tapping him on the shoulder. "Anise," the Tok'ra exchanged a curt nod of the head, before he greeted Teal'c.

Mark was staring at his father, who looked like he had known Sam's friends for years. They all acted like that, he mused. Even to that Anise woman. "What was that about General O'Neill calling my father 'Dad'?" He asked Sam and Pete.

Pete, who was annoyed to hear that Mark had noticed while their father had insisted Pete call him 'General Carter' turned to Sam.

"Oh, he always does that," Sam said lamely. Noticing the two men looking at her like she was insane, she quickly explained with a shrug. "Well, I guess because I always called him 'Dad' in front of my team and General O'Neill jokingly called him 'Dad' when they met and they've been keeping it up, ever since."

Pete noticed Ilse was eavesdropping on them and as soon as Sam turned around, he looked at her. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"What should bother me?" Ilse asked confused.

"That he calls General Carter 'Dad?'"

"Um… I could care less?" She shrugged, taking a sip of her wine.

"It seriously doesn't bother you that he calls Sam's father 'Dad?'" Pete asked her incredulous.

"Honestly, for all I care he calls him 'Juan,'" she shrugged again, turning away from him.

Pete grabbed her arm, turning her back to him. "Then what if the General were to meet your family? What would he call your father?"

Making a vague gesture with her hand, she started. "Um…" She turned to Jack, who was standing behind her with his back to her, talking to General Hammond, Jacob, Sam, and Daniel. "Jack?"

Jack turned with his eyebrows raised. "Yes?" He drawled out.

She nodded her head towards Pete, letting him know what was going on. "What did you call my father?"

"Huh?"

Shrugging, she added, "You know, before he died and all."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I had no idea," Pete profusely apologized.

"That's okay," she said, using a sad voice on purpose. She really didn’t like the guy.

"I just called him 'Bert’, he insisted I called him by his first name," Jack mentioned.

"What about your mother?" Pete asked carefully.

Instead of answering, Ilse just gave Jack a questioning look.

"Anna, she insisted I call her that, by her first name, instead of something like 'Mom’," he grinned, remembering the first time he'd met her mother. Lily had just been born and his father had only informed him a few weeks before and the first thing Anna had told him was that she didn't expect him to see her like his mother and he should just call her by her first name. She was right, it would've been strange if his father had insisted he called her 'Mom' or anything, since he'd had a mother who had died and just met Anna, who was only a couple of years older than Jack…

Ilse gave him a knowing smile, she knew what he was thinking about. Looking around her, she noticed everyone was looking at them; apparently Pete's third degree had been quite interesting for them. Most of Jack's friends were looking a bit askance, probably wondering when he'd had time to meet her parents – especially if her father had passed away. She remembered seeing that look the other day in Jack's house, when he'd stolen her cell phone and Colonel Carter and Daniel had overheard him referring to Ilse as Lily's sister… Ilse realized this only fed their idea of her and Jack being in a relationship, but she also knew that Jack knew this as well and if he didn't seem to mind, then who was she to object? After all, it had been kind of her fault that Jack had confessed his feelings to Carter – which had left him in an awkward situation with her – and she'd told him she'd do anything if he'd do that.

"Jack, I had no idea you were in a relationship," Jacob probed. "Last time I was at, eh… the base, you and Kerry Johnson had just broken up… so, how long have you two known each other?"

"Well, you've been away for a while Jake, I mean you didn't even know your daughter had gotten engaged," Jack said, evading his questions.

Giving him a relenting smile, he nodded. "True, but you must've known each other for a while for you to have met her parents?"

"Yeah, I guess."  _Damn that Tok'ra_ , Jack thought. How the hell was he getting out of this?

"Oh, we go way back," Ilse answered.

Several pairs of eyebrows shot up, including Jack's, she noticed.

"Really?"

"Yeah, seems like we've known each other a lifetime, right Jack?" She smiled sweetly up at him.

"Well, in your case that can't have been long," Pete sneered, still wondering what such a young woman would do with such an old guy.

"Don't let looks deceive you, I look younger than I am," Ilse said insulted. "But it's like I've known Jack my entire life."

Jack smiled at her; she sure was creative, telling them the truth without really telling them the truth, he thought smirking and slung his arms around her shoulders. "Yeah, seems like it."

Sam felt awkward with the turn of conversation and wondered how long the General had really known Ilse… she'd observed them a few times and he was completely relaxed around her, he let his guard down and he hardly ever did that. He was so comfortable around the woman that she felt jealous. Before she had time to think about that realization, her phone started ringing. She picked up and walked away from the group.

"I've known you two knew each other ever since Ilse came in contact with the SGC, hell Jack was the one that contacted her after we discovered she’d found some, eh… artifacts," General Hammond said, realizing who was surrounding him and most didn't have security clearance… "But I never guessed you two were an item," he continued, unsure of his wording.

Sam came back, hand clasped around her cell phone. "That was Cassie; she's gotten into car trouble and can't make it…"

"Oh, that's too bad, honey," Pete said, throwing an arm around her in a comforting gesture. Not that he minded, he didn't like the damn kid and it was pretty obvious to him the feeling was mutual, which was just fine with him.

"Yeah, I really wanted her to be here, since she's not sure if she can make it to the wedding with her busy schedule and mandatory internship."

"Why don't you go and pick her up?" Ilse asked Jack, surprising everyone.

"Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be," she retorted.

"Where was she, Carter?"

Sam told him about the location where she was waiting for a towing company, and that it was a little under an hour drive.

"Call her and tell her you'll come and get her, Jack," Ilse stated, leaning into him with her shoulder to get her point across.

"You don't mind? I'll probably be gone for an hour and a half," Jack trailed off.

"Of course I don't, you're her legal guardian, and she wants to be here, not to mention that it's getting dark and she's out there alone. Besides, it's not like I need you to babysit me, I'm sure your friends won't hurt me and I won't die if you'll leave my side," she smirked. "Unlike some people I don't need a second shadow," she mumbled, indicating her head towards Pete and Sam – Pete had hardly left her side the entire time they were here and she and Jack had made fun of that when they were gone…  _childish, I know, but who cares? It made Jack smile and that's what counts._ "You know I'd volunteer to go, but…"

"You can't drive a stick?" Pete joked, knowing the General drove a truck. Rob and their other friend Mike laughed at his joke, cracking a few more about women and cars.

"Actually, I'm quite good with a stick," Ilse said in a flirtatious tone, making Jack choke on his drink. "Besides, a car without a stick is not a real car. The reason I can't go is because I'm already consuming my second glass of wine  _and_  I've never met Cassandra."

Jack simply smiled at her, pressed a kiss on her crown and left to get his coat.


	14. Conversations

"That was a nice thing to do," Daniel said when he came standing beside her.

"What was?" Ilse questioned.

"Letting Jack go to get Cassie, I know it means a lot to Sam for her to be here."

"Yes, I know, Jack told me, that's one of the reasons I suggested it. It had absolutely nothing to do with 'letting' him do anything, I'd think you would know there's no 'letting' Jack do anything," she chuckled softly.

Daniel laughed at her response, realizing she was right; apparently, she really did know him… He wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not; Jack needs someone that knows him, but that someone should be Sam in his mind – Sam shouldn't marry Pete and Jack shouldn't be with Ilse, he thought. However, at least he liked Ilse a lot better than Pete… "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Ilse beamed at him and asked him where he'd ditched his Tok'ra.

"What? No, it's not like that…"

"Please, Daniel, Jack told me about Anise… and Freya, by the way. I know Anise wants to jump you," she giggled.

"No, she doesn't!" He hastily said which only made her laugh louder. "Jacob took Anise with him to introduce her to some people with clearance, she was starting to ask too much questions that were too obvious."

"I see, so why are you here?"

"What do you mean? Sam is like a sister to me and-"

"No, I mean why are you standing here with me?" she interrupted him. "Like you just said, Sam is like a sister to you and yet here you are keeping me company. All your friends are mingling and talking amongst themselves…"

"I figured that maybe you wanted to talk to someone," he suggested sheepishly, knowing she saw right through him.

"You thought I needed someone to talk to now that Jack has left?"

"Yeah, I guess… So, tell me, you're an art dealer?"

Grinning at his attempt, Ilse decided to humor him for the moment. "Yes, I am."

"In Europe?"

"I mostly live in Europe, the Netherlands to be exact, but I have firms around the world, including a few in the United States."

"Really? My grandfather was Dutch," Daniel exclaimed.

"Jack told me… does that mean you speak Dutch?" She figured she might as well ask him, maybe he'd be honest – which she suspected since Jack always calls him their moral compass – and then she'd know if she actually had to keep her mouth shut in front of him.

"Well, I was very young when he died and my family wasn't that close, since we were always traveling because of my parents' research," he explained.

"But Jack told me you speak over twenty languages?"

"Yeah, well, Dutch isn't one of them," he bashfully admitted. "I can read it a bit, but it's a difficult language to speak and understand. I can speak a few sentences, but I'm not sure if my pronunciation is correct," he stated before trying a few sentences.

Ilse had trouble subduing her laughter as she listened to him to try to introduce himself, ask her how she was doing, asking for directions and the time and she laughed aloud as he tried to hit on her. "You're right," she giggled, "your pronunciation is horrible!"

Sam turned her head in Daniel's direction as she heard a melodious laughter followed by Daniel chuckling and was annoyed to see that Daniel and Ilse seemed to be getting along perfectly. Trying to stomp down her envious feelings, she sipped from her drink and tried refocusing her attention to the conversation she and Pete were engrossed in. Just a little over an hour until Cassie and the General will be here…

Daniel was called away by Teal'c and told Ilse he'd be back so they could talk some more later. Ilse just nodded and watched him leave, before turning towards the bar. "I'll have a Heineken, please." She waited for the bartender to hand her the bottle and she frowned, preferring to drink out of a glass, but of course he didn't have the Heineken on tap.  _Damn!_  She was looking around and eventually spotted Jacob on the terrace; she'd wanted to learn more about the alien life out there so she decided to talk to him. But as she was walking over to him, Rob and Mike – Pete's buddies from their table – stopped her to talk to her.

"Sorry guys, I was just going to talk to Jacob…"

"Oh, come on honey, I'm sure he won't mind. We just want to talk to you," one of them – she'd forgotten whom was who – said to her.

"Well, to be honest, I don't really care," she stated, trying to politely walk away.

Now the other guy was blocking in her path, standing unsteadily on his feet. "If I flip this coin," he mumbled unclear, holding up a coin. "What are the chances I'll get head, honey?" He smirked smugly, clearly proud of himself.

Ilse huffed, trying to keep her self-control by silently counting to ten. "Very charming, did you find that one online while google-ing for the most condescending pickup lines?"

Jacob chuckled, overhearing her response. He'd watched them, fearing Jack's date might get in trouble with those two, but he realized he had nothing to worry about with a tongue that sharp.

' _It is a good thing, Jacob, O'Neill needs someone to ground him and if that someone is not Samantha, this young woman will be a good choice,'_  Selmak told him. Jacob agreed with her and wondered if he should interfere now or wait for her to solve it herself.

"Oh, I see," the first guy – Mike or Rob – said. "What you only like your men older? Or do you think we can't afford you?"

"Are you  _fucking_ kidding me?" Ilse exclaimed, furious at being called a prostitute. "Just because I'm not interested in the two of you I must be a hooker?"

"Now you're playing coy? If you're not a hooker, then what the hell are you doing with that old geezer? I mean, come on, he's like twice your age-"

"Yeah, he's right. So what, you're not a hooker but an escort, because those never mind taking it a step further for the right price." The other guy chimed in, grabbing her arm.

Jacob stepped forward to teach those friends of Pete a lesson, since Jack wasn't here to defend Ilse – or himself. But as he reached the three and forced the drunk guy to let go of her arm, she shook her head at him.

"Like I said earlier, I look younger than I am and Jack is by no means twice my age. Even if he was, I'd still rather sleep with him than any of you. Unlike you, he is tall, charming, honorable, a tad dangerous, sexy as hell – especially with those silver hairs of him – and has a body most men my age can only dream of, including the two of you. No amount of plastic surgery could give you his toned body or his good looks," she huffed, "not to mention that I doubt you could keep up with him."

To say that he was surprised was an understatement, Jacob thought, looking at the woman who was practically mowing those men down with her sharp tongue.

"And if you don't believe me, ask your wife, she's been ogling him since she laid eyes on him – just remind her he's going home with me," Ilse stated, before turning around and dragging Jacob with her.

"Here I was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle yourself," Jacob chuckled as they were standing in a corner of the terrace. "With a tongue like that we could've used you to get rid of the Goa'uld."

Smiling, Ilse swatted his shoulder softly in an admonishing gesture. "Yeah, well, I had a great teacher. Man, I can't believe guys like that actually exist at this age."

"Yeah," Jacob agreed. When he'd been that age most men were more respectful towards women. "And that are supposed to be Pete's best friends," he sighed.

"Well, I can tell you they make crappy character witnesses…"

* * *

"Thank you for picking me up," Cassie told Jack as they entered the parking lot.

"Yeah, sure you betcha, kiddo," Jack said, patting her knee.

"No, really Jack, I'm sure you had other things on your mind," she said. Glancing sideways she noticed the look he was sending her and she continued. "Yeah, I guess you didn't mind skipping the party, huh? I really don't like that guy, Sam deserves so much better-"

"Cassie," Jack interrupted her, having a pretty good idea of what had been coming next. "Carter says she loves him and wants to marry him, so we should be happy for her."

"But Jack-"

"Cassandra," he said as a warning.

Relenting, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine, I'll pretend to be happy."

"That's my girl," Jack smirked at her, before getting out of his truck.

"So, how was the party? I mean, you seem pretty sober and I wouldn't have stepped in the car with you if I thought you'd been drinking, so…?"

"I wouldn't have stepped into the car if I'd been drinking, Cassie. I only had a few sodas," he huffed. Soda wasn’t really his thing and he sure as hell could use a few beers… "I knew I'd be driving tonight, so I decided not to drink."

"I don't understand, it must be killing you to watch them…" Cassie's soft voice trailed off.

"Yeah, well, drinking wouldn't change that, now would it? Besides I promised Ilse I'd stay sober so she could drink."

"Ilse?" Cassie squealed surprised.

Jack looked at the teenager and knew he had a lot of explaining to do…

* * *

"Cassie!" Sam exclaimed when she finally saw the alien teen walking inside. She'd been checking the clock the entire time, the General sure had taken his time to get back here…

Cassie walked over to Sam and hugged the woman who was like a second – well, maybe third – mother to her. "You look beautiful Sam!"

"Thanks, you look great too, honey."

"Hey Cassie," Pete said, turning towards the girl, trying to be friendly.

"Hi Pete," Cassie said, before turning. "I'm going to say hi to Daniel and Teal'c."

It didn't take her long to find Teal'c, he was sticking out with head and shoulders and she threw herself in his arms "Teal'c!".

"Cassandra Fraiser, it is most pleasant to see you once again," Teal'c said while hugging the girl in his big arms.

"You too, T," she smiled up at him. "Where is Daniel?"

Teal'c nodded to his right and she saw him talking to an unknown man, woman and Jacob. She disentangled herself from Teal'c and went over to them.

"Cassie," was all Daniel could muster before the breath was pressed out of his body from the force she threw herself at him.

"Hi Daniel," she smiled innocently. Then she turned and saw Jacob smiling at her. "Grandpa Jake," she exclaimed before launching herself at him.

Mark had been startled when the young woman had thrown herself at Dr. Jackson, but he almost had a heart attack as he saw her launch herself at his father. Grandpa Jake _?_  He was wondering what the hell had been going on in his father and sister's lives he didn't know anything about. Mark was even more surprised as he watched his father not even move an inch at the impact and proceeded to hug the girl.

"It's good to see you too, kiddo," Jacob said, hugging her. ' _Having you to share my body with you definitely has its pros,'_  Jacob told Selmak, referring to his strength to stand his ground as Cassie had launched herself in his arms.

"I missed you guys," Cassie sulked.

"You could always visit, you know?" Daniel stated, "After all, you know where we live."

"Please, I'm a poor student and don't have the money to buy plane tickets," she whined playfully.

"Cassie, let me introduce you to Anise," Jacob said gesturing towards Anise, knowing that Cassie's naquadah would reveal to her that Anise was a Tok'ra.

Anise gave her a curt nod with her head and Cassie smiled back at the woman, repressing the strange tingling sensation she always got when being in close proximity to a Tok'ra or Goa'uld. After all, she'd had a lot of practice; at first with Teal'c, when he still carried his symbiote around and later with Jacob.

"And this is my son, Mark Carter," Jacob said proudly, clasping Mark's shoulder.

"Sam's brother?" Cassie cheered, refraining herself from launching in his arms. Instead she held out a hand with a big smile on her face. "I guess that makes you my uncle."

"Huh?" Was all Mark could utter.

"Cassie? I want you to meet Ilse," Jack stated from behind them.

Cassie turned around at the sound of his voice and eyed the tall woman next to him. Jack had explained everything to her outside on the parking lot, which was why they'd gotten inside so late. However, it was still strange to actually see the woman, but it was obvious to her that she cared a lot about Jack, like herself. So she smiled at her and extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Cassandra Fraiser."

"It's nice to meet you, Cassandra. My name is Ilse; Jack said he told you about me?"

"Yup," was all Cassie would say. She wasn't going to 'out' them to everyone here. The way Jack had explained it to her, everyone had just assumed they were in a relationship and both he and Ilse had denied nor confirmed it. Sam had made her choice and unfortunately, it looked like she had chosen Pete, which upset her more than she would let on… and if Sam wanted to believe that Jack had moved on as well, then that was her choice as well, Cassie thought stubbornly.  _I'm sure if Mom had still been alive, she would've stopped Sam from doing something so stupid and hurting Jack in such an unforgiving manner…_

Jack could overhear Jacob talking to Mark Carter and it sounded like he was telling him about Cassie –  _Didn't Carter tell her own brother about Cassie?_ Turning, he saw the beer bottle in Ilse's hand. "Since when do you drink out of a bottle?" He asked her, grabbing the bottle from her hand and taking a swig.

"Jack! You promised not to drink so you could drive us back," Ilse admonished him. "If you hadn't, I would've brought my driver's license with me and wouldn't have ordered any alcoholic beverage…"

"It's just a sip, Ilse, don't worry I'll drink soda the rest of the night," he winked at her and Cassie, which elicited an eye roll from both women.

"Grandpa George!" Cassie exclaimed as soon as she saw General Hammond and she ran off to greet him.

"So Jack, I have to tell you you've gotten yourself quite a woman," Jacob started.

Jack eyed Ilse suspiciously, before drawling out a "Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Ilse said quickly.

"What has happened Jake?" Jack asked suddenly serious.

"Some friends of Pete were, eh…" Jacob stopped, not sure how to proceed.

Sighing, Ilse looked at Jack. "Look, it's nothing, they tried hitting on me, and I let them down… gently."

Hearing Jacob snort at her last word, Jack chuckled. "You mean you showed them that razor blade you call a tongue?"

Her smirk was the only answer he needed and he chuckled again, watching her smirk grow bigger.

"Am I interrupting something?" Sam asked slightly irritated, watching a silence descend onto the three of them.

"Nothing important, Carter," Jack grinned, probing Ilse in the side.

"Where's Mark, Dad?" She decided to ignore the General and his  _girlfriend_ , who were acting extremely childish – not that she cared.

"He went over to Daniel with Anise, I think, Sammie."

Ilse had grabbed Jack's hands, preventing him from trying to tickle her and she turned towards Jacob and Carter. "Now, if you don't mind, I want to dance."

Jack looked at her, his eyebrows almost touching his hairline. "Dance?"

"Yes, with you, right now. Move that six of yours flyboy," she joked, pulling on his arm.

Sam and Jacob stared at the pair as they left for the dance floor.

"I didn't know Jack could dance…"

"Me neither, Dad… and to be honest, I'm not sure he can," Sam chuckled.

"I don't know why you insist on dancing with me, because I have two left feet, ya know," Jack said as Ilse pulled him with her over to the dance floor.

She skeptically raised a delicate brow. "Ah, I don't think so. You see, I seem to remember this weekend about twelve years ago when my sister's brother came over and taught me how to dance…"

"Crap, I just knew that would come back to haunt me some day," Jack muttered. Still, he grabbed hold of her; one hand intertwined with hers held up in the air and the other placed on her hip, pulling her closer to him. He looked up to see that they were the only pair dancing, besides the old couple that had been dancing for a few numbers. "So… nothing happened?"

"No, Jack, they tried and I shot them down. Besides, if they had planned something you still needn't worry since Jacob was there, watching me because you were gone. It was quite sweet actually, first Daniel came up to me, pretending to want to talk to me but it didn't take him long to admit he thought I needed someone to talk to since you were picking up Cassandra. I don't know how that man could ever withstand torture, seeing as how easily he folded… Oh and he hardly speaks any Dutch by the way, I asked. Apparently his grandfather died when he was very young and his parents didn't stay in touch that much, so he never really learned. He thought he could speak a few sentences, but I almost ended up on the floor laughing," she giggled. "Anyways, after he left I went over to talk to Jacob and then those losers came, and Jacob wanted to step in but I told him I could handle it."

"Good, because if they'd hurt you I would've killed them," Jack jokingly said, but meaning every word of it.

"I know, now shut up and just dance."

* * *

Jack walked her back to their table and saw that Cassie was ignoring their seating arrangements, since she had inserted herself between him and Jacob. Jack just petted her hair, before sitting down in the chair next to her – leaving Ilse to follow suit.

"You know what; I'll go get something to drink. Another soda for you Jack or do you want something else?"

"I'll have some OJ," Jack absentmindedly answered.

"Cassie?"

"I'll go with you," Cassie said as she noticed Pete and Sam walking back to their table. She hurried to catch up with Ilse and when she reached the bar, Ilse was already ordering and looked over her shoulder to ask her what she wanted. "Um… a beer?"

"And a Heineken, please," Ilse told the bartender and accepted the drinks he gave her. She handed Cassie her beer before walking back to their table, with Jack's orange juice and her own Coebergh. They were chatting amicably when they went to take their seats – Ilse noticed that Pete sent Cassie a glare for ruining the seating arrangements, but she just shrugged at the girl.

"Cassie, you're not supposed to sit there," Pete tried. "That's the General's chair."

Jack looked up to see Carter looking at him with pleading eyes, so Jack got up and sat back in  _his_  chair.

Ilse sat back in the chair assigned to her and turned to Cassie – who was supposed to sit next to Teal'c, who was sitting next to Daniel and Anise – and gestured to Daniel's empty seat with a quirk of her eyebrow.

Deciding that she might actually like this Ilse, Cassie smiled at her before plopping down in Daniel's chair. They picked up their conversation and in a few minutes Cassie was asking her about her and Jack in a soft, whispering tone. She was surprised to hear that Ilse – and her sister – had actually convinced Jack to talk to Sam, but that she had rejected him. She let out a surprised "Oh!" before clasping her hand over her mouth. She couldn’t believe Sam had done that! After everything Jack has done for her she just rejected him?

"Look, no one knows about this besides Lily, Carter, Jack and myself, and I don't think Jack wants anyone to know," Ilse whispered to Cassie, who nodded her understanding.

"Not a peep," she replied, taking a swig of her beer.

"Cassandra Fraiser, what are you drinking?" Sam asked in a scolding tone.

"Um… a beer?"

"Sir?" Sam almost barked at the General, wondering if he had given Cassandra a beer – and if so, why?

"Don't look at me, Carter, I had nothing to do with it," Jack said, holding his hands up in front of him in a defensive gesture.

"Cassie, how did you get that beer? Was it the bartender?"

"Um…"

"I got her one, why?" Ilse said lighthearted.

"Why?" Sam almost squealed.

"She's under aged, that's why," Pete said in his detective voice.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Ilse said, apologizing. "Really, I swear. But I mean, look at her, she looks old enough, doesn't she?"

"Actually I don't think she looks like she's twenty-one," Rob – or Mike – said, apparently having returned to the table.

"Oh, right," Ilse said in a soft tone, understanding dawning on her. "I forgot, sorry," she looked at Jack.

"Yeah, figures," he smirked. "Well, it's not a big deal, let's forget about it. Besides, Cassie never should've taken the beer from you, should you Cassie?"

Cassie almost giggled at his parental tone, but biting down her lip stopped the giggle from leaving her throat and she just nodded, trying to look at him with innocent eyes.

"I don't know General, she  _was_  providing an under aged teenager with an alcoholic substance," Pete stated in his detective voice again.

"Oh please, you make it sound like I forced a bottle of vodka down her throat," Ilse said exasperated, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I think it is a serious situation!"

"Come on, she's what, eighteen right?" After receiving a nod from both Carter and Jack, she continued. "So that makes her perfectly legal to drive a car, get a license to own a gun in several states, play in a porn movie, vote for elections but she has to wait three more years before being allowed to drink a beer?"

"Well, that's the law," was all Pete could think of to answer.

"Yes, I don't want you corrupting Cassie," Jack teased her.

"Please, it's not like she was smoking pot unlike your friends on the terrace," Ilse said with disgust on her face.

Mike and Rob both started to object and deny that they had been smoking pot, but Jack interrupted them. "I'm pretty sure she can tell, can't you?" He asked Ilse, waggling his eyebrows.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" She sighed, referring to her attempt to rebel over twelve years ago.

"Nope," he grinned. "I guess I should be glad you gave her a beer instead of a joint," Jack teased, ending up on the receiving end of a punch on his shoulder.

"Pete, where are you going?" Sam asked as he was getting up.

"I'm going to have a talk with them," he whispered, indicating Rob and Mike, before giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Look Sam, Ilse is right; it's no big deal, we drink beer all the time," Cassie started, seeing Sam's startled face she continued. "On campus I mean, when there are parties I sometimes drink beer."

* * *

"So I heard Pete saying there is some good art around here?" Daniel asked Sam trying to lighten the mood, while enjoying his dinner.

"Oh, yeah, there was a painting from his favorite artist, which he showed me. It was rather peculiar; the painting had a woman on it, sharp in detail while the back was fading and after watching it for a while it felt like something changed. It was really unnerving, I don't know what, maybe it were her eyes or something. Pete said there's another painting that has a doe in it and he could swear the doe moves if you look at for a minute."

Ilse's hand froze in mid air, her fork still holding a piece of dessert. "Does it happen to be by Brock?"

"Yes, that's the painter, have you heard of him?" Pete exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know him… My firm sometimes mediates his sales, but mostly as a personal favor since he's a good friend of mine."

"Really, you know him?"

Ilse just nodded, feeling a bit dreadful.

"So, this painting had a woman on it, you said Carter?" Jack asked curiously, recognizing the look Ilse sent him. He knew she sometimes modeled, that's how her passion for paintings really formed – no matter how much her mother tried to claim her own influence, he knew better. Anna's family had been in the art dealing business for decades and she'd wanted her daughter to follow in her footsteps, but Ilse hadn't been interested at first. She wanted to become a singer – and she really has a good voice – and started modeling as a teenager and eventually posed for an artist. Lily on the other hand, had flat-out refused to work that business and started her own career as a singer and musician.

"Yes Sir, why?" She looked at him askance, wondering why he was suddenly so interested. As far as she knew, the General wasn't into paintings or any form of art.

"Just being curious, Carter. Where is this fine looking painting?"

After they had finished their dessert, Sam took them – Ilse, General O'Neill, Pete and Daniel – to the painting and when they were standing in front of it, it suddenly hit Sam. "You're the woman, aren't you?"

Ilse looked up at the painting, seeing her own green eyes staring back at her from behind the eye mask and glanced at Jack, realizing he'd recognized her as well.

"Well, this is weird and uncomfortable," Jack muttered as Daniel, Shanahan and Carter were looking back and forth between Ilse and the painting.

"You think?" Looking at the other three people that were standing in front of the painting, she started to explain. "When I was in my teens my mother wanted me to take over the family business – which was art dealing. She was mostly interested in dusty artifacts, which you can imagine didn't interest me at all. I loved singing, I wanted to become a professional singer, and when I was scouted by a modeling agency while shopping, I accepted the job for extra income and hoping to get into that glamour world. Turned out I didn't like modeling at all and I certainly didn't like that world. One time one of the photographers asked me if I would be interested in posing for a painting, and I figured 'what the heck,' right? Turned out I enjoyed that far more than photo shoots and I quickly started to like art in the form of paintings. Eventually, I finished high school and went to college to get prepped for the family business, making paintings my specialty. That's how I came in contact with Brock and he asked me to pose for him one day and I said yes. That one painting quickly turned into a series, and this is one of its results."

"How does he do it?" Daniel asked, in a spell by the painting.

"I have no idea, but I really love his work, it's just a bit weird running into myself," Ilse explained.

Sam had to agree with her on that. No way Pete's mother was buying him one of those paintings for the new house – it would only remind her of _her_ and the General! No, that wouldn't be a good start of their marriage, Sam mused.

"Jack?" General Hammond's voice sounded down the hall and Jack quickly left, in search of his commanding officer.

"Yes, what is it, Sir?" Jack asked, finding Hammond a few doors down.

"I was wondering if we could continue our chat from the barbecue the other day…"

"Yeah, sure you betcha," Jack smiled and after seeing Hammond's face he quickly added a belated "Sir".

Ilse was feeling very uncomfortable with the three of them glancing at her and the painting. Clearing her throat, she told them she had to go back to ask Cassie something, and she quickly left. She found Cassie talking to Teal'c and joined the conversation.

She was still standing there when Jack came looking for her. "Want to dance?" He asked her, taking her hand.

Startled by his request, Ilse nodded and followed him to the dance floor. "I thought you didn't want to dance."

"Yeah, but this way we'll be able to talk without being interrupted," he smirked at his own strategy.

"Okay," she drawled out. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Remember those papers you gave me?" He felt her body stiffen in his arms, unprepared to talk about the subject. "Relax, I already signed them. You were right; Lily asked me to do this for her and I want to do it, especially now."

Ilse relaxed in his arms and nodded at his explanation. "I understand, then what is there to discuss?"

"Did I tell you about what Hammond and I talked about during the barbecue?" She was shaking her head, so he continued. "He wants me to take his job, he's finally ready to retire and he and the President want me to take over Homeworld Security."

"Wow, that's huge," she beamed at him, proud and happy. "What did you tell him?"

"Well, we weren't able to finish the conversation, so we did that just now. I decided it would be best for me to go to Washington… It's hard for me to send good people through the gate, not knowing if they'll make it back. I've only been doing it for about a year now and I can't begin to understand how Hammond did this for all those years. Daniel already expressed his desire to go to Atlantis and I know Teal'c is needed with the Free Jaffa, and Carter is thinking about resigning…"

"From SG-1? I can imagine if Daniel and Teal'c both want to leave…"

"No, Daniel asked me not to tell anyone – on base at least – and Teal'c never actually came to me, I just know he is needed. Carter doesn't know, none of them know what the others want. And Carter is thinking about resigning from the Air force, not just SG-1."

"What, why?"

"Beats me, I'm guessing it has something to do with her getting married to that  _cop_ ," Jack huffed, feeling his disappointment come up again. "You know, now that she's getting married and him having those two children…"

Ilse heard his voice trail off and started going through all the information she had gathered over the years… "Children?"

"Yeah, he has two small kids with his ex-wife, Carter's becoming an instant mommy," Jack said sarcastically. "Not that she won't be a good mother, I know she will."

Ilse just nodded, not knowing what to say to ease his pain so they just kept dancing in silence. Yeah, maybe something good for Jack would come out of all this shit with Lily…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know Pete doesn't really have kids with his ex-wife, but… surprise, he does now! A girl (2.5 years) and a boy (18 months) for those who are interested…


	15. Last Dance

"You know, I never imagined Jack to be a good dancer," Daniel commented, while watching Jack and Ilse swirl around the dance floor.

"It would appear O'Neill is indeed a capable dancer," Teal'c responded, comparing the pair with the other dancing couples.

"Are you kidding me? Jack is a great dancer, he's the one who taught me how to dance," Cassie exclaimed. "However, I have to admit that Ilse looks to be quite good as well."

"Yeah," Sam shrugged, looking at the two of them. "Who would've thought?" She had just been dancing with Pete and when they had passed the other couple, Sam couldn't help but notice the way both of them seemed to be lost in thought and how their bodies appeared to dance of their own free will. It had made her wonder how many times the General had danced with her, since they moved completely in sync while Ilse's head had been on his shoulder, not even looking at each other. Pete had taken her dancing once when they had just been going out, but both of them had agreed that they needed more practice for the wedding, while the General and his  _girlfriend_  looked like they did this everyday… maybe they do, it could be one of the General's hidden talents and passions, like pottery, Sam thought smiling.

"Do you want to dance?" Daniel asked Cassie, holding out his hand. Cassie smiled up at him before accepting his hand, waving her goodbye to Teal'c and Sam.

"Are you not well, Colonel Carter?"

"No, I'm fine Teal'c, I was just thinking about Janet," Sam woefully replied. "She would've been so proud of Cassie; she has grown up so much in the last year, turning into a young woman and being accepted into college, despite her troubled childhood."

"Indeed, she is very strong and 'very brave' as you once said," Teal'c sincerely stated.

Sam smiled at him, remembering the day they had met Cassie and what had happened. Watching her grow up to a normal teenager with boyfriends, bad hair days and crushes was definitely all the evidence Sam needed to know that children really are very resilient, whether they were from 'Toronto' or not. She had adapted even better than Janet and Sam had hoped and Sam knew that was mainly due to her late best friend. Thinking about Janet still hurt, she hadn’t deserved to die especially not in the way that she had, even if that had been while doing the job she loved. Today made her miss her friend even more. "Are you enjoying yourself, Teal'c?" Sam asked, trying to change the subject.

Teal'c glanced at his friend, contemplating his next words. "I find it a great honor to be celebrating such an important change in your future, Colonel Carter."

"I'm glad to hear that," Sam said, gnawing at her lip. "It means a lot to me to have you here."

"Anise was correct, the culture of the Tau'ri is very rare indeed, and I find all your celebrations highly interesting."

"I don't doubt that," Ilse said, after Jack and her joined them. "Jack told me you don't even celebrate your own birthday, just the Prim'ta and sometimes a holy day for your 'God'…"

Teal'c nodded. "O'Neill is indeed correct."

"You must've been freaked out when you got here, all those crazy humans celebrating different occasions which probably sum up a whole month a year," she jokingly said.

"Indeed."

"It's very much the same as the Tok'ra," Jacob mentioned, who sat back at the table with Anise. "But then again, if you live such a long life…"

"Yeah, can you imagine all the crap Selmak would've gathered in her lifetime if she'd celebrated her birthday every year," Jack snorted sarcastically. "She'd probably need a whole planet for storage…"

They were all laughing at the image his words had conjured when Pete came up to Sam, asking her to dance with him. She reluctantly agreed, not because she didn't want to, but it had been a while since they had all enjoyed such a friendly banter. As she stood up, Cassie and Daniel came back to the table.

"They make a great couple, don't they?" Mark asked, joining the others, gesturing towards Sam and Pete on the dance floor.

Everyone except Anise and Teal'c muttered something incomprehensible, making Mark look around the table confused.

"I believe Colonel Carter is very lucky to have found such an understanding mate," Anise stated, making Mark almost choke on his drink by her choice of words. "Especially, with her occupation and only a few fertile years left. I believe he will be far more compatible than Ge-"

Jacob coughed loudly at the words of his fellow Tok'ra, Daniel told her to shut up and Jack just glared at her.

Mark was staring at Dr. Jackson's date, wondering what she had been trying to say before he told her to shut up… She may be quite attractive, but she certainly seemed to have some problems in her upper chamber, he thought. It was a good thing Sam hadn't heard that, especially the comment about her age…

"Anise, it's quite rude to discuss a woman's age," Cassie chided her.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want us to be talking about yours, now would you?" Ilse added with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "It's not like you're married or anything."

Looking at the two women who meant a lot to him, Jack smiled hearing both of them 'defend' Carter. It was obvious to him that Anise wanted to respond, so he scowled at her, which made her change her mind it seemed. He certainly didn't want to know what else she wanted to say, he mused. Thinking about that day four years ago when he and Carter were suspected of being zatarcs and Anise/Freya had been there to hear their confession of caring more than they were supposed to – right after Freya had tried to seduce him - made Jack wonder if it really was Anise that had just been talking… One could never really tell with those snakes, he figured. They should wear those Tollan detachment devices with the red/blue light to indicate who is speaking…

Jacob cleared his throat after he was done scowling at Anise and got up. "Excuse me."

* * *

Pete turned around when he felt someone tapping his shoulder while he was dancing with Sam and he stopped.

"Do you mind if I take over?"

"Of course not, General," Pete said in a resigned voice, before stepping back.

"Are you having a good time, Sammie?" Jacob asked as he took his daughter's hand.

"Yes, Dad, I am," she smiled up at him. Her father was a great dancer she found out and then she remembered he used to dance with her mother, late at night after he'd gotten home from a mission. The way he swirled her around made Sam smile. "I had forgotten you and Mom used to dance together…"

"Yeah, your Mom was a great dancer. We took dancing lessons together for the wedding and she really loved to dance," he said in far-away voice, thinking about all those nights years ago.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Sam mumbled at seeing the nostalgic look on her father's face.

"You didn't, Sammie, I have great memories of your mother," he smiled at her. "Selmak thinks I'm a sentimental fool."

"I bet she couldn't dance like that," Sam joked, before his eyes flashed and Selmak took over, stepping up the pace.

"On the contrary Samantha, I am quite a skilled dancer, even though I have not practiced this Tau'ri form of dancing. However, it is not that difficult, although I must admit I am not used to lead since most of my hosts have been female in the past," she smiled. "For that I am using Jacob's experiences."

Sam smiled at Selmak, having grown quite fond of her over the last few years and the sudden change of person didn't surprise her anymore. "So you are cheating?"

"I most certainly am not," she said in a mock hurt whisper, trying to keep her voice soft in case someone was eavesdropping. "Are you happy with your betrothal, Samantha?"

"As I told my father, I love Pete, Selmak."

"Do you love him the way you love O'Neill?"

Shocked at the question, not to mention the fact that Selmak knew she had unresolved feelings for her CO – which probably meant she had told her father – Sam had a hard time coming up with an answer. "What?" She stammered, "I love Pete and I'm going to marry him. General O'Neill is my commanding officer and friend, nothing more, Selmak."

Selmak just gave her an appraising look, before she relinquished control to Jacob. "Sorry Sammie, she was out of line," Jacob said in a voice that didn't even come close to an apologizing tone. Sometimes it serves to share your body with someone, especially if you cannot speak your mind, he thought. He gave Selmak a silent word of gratitude for inquiring about his daughter's feelings for her CO.

"That's okay, Dad," Sam said, still a bit startled. While they continued dancing as the next song played, she looked back at their table. She felt a sting of jealousy as she saw Cassie and Ilse talking and laughing together – not because of her, but because Cassie seemed to accept Ilse very easily, while she didn't want to have anything to do with Pete, it appeared.

Jacob followed her glance and saw the subject of her thoughts. "They seem to be getting along quite well," he tried.

"Yeah," she responded through gritted teeth.

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing, Sammie?"

"I know, Dad, it's just that Cassie doesn't seem to accept Pete in my life while it looks like she befriended her immediately."

"Well, it could be a girl-thing, but I'm no expert on that," he smiled at his daughter. "Not to mention they are probably closer in age than her and Pete."

"I guess, Ilse sure looks rather young," Sam said distasteful. The General had named their age difference in that talk of theirs, but she was pretty sure Ilse was even younger than she was.

* * *

Cassie leaned in further, spoke in a conspiratorial gesture and whispered to Ilse. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

"Trust me, I've tried for years, and the fact that Jack actually went to talk to Carter surpassed my expectations… Now that she made her choice, I'm not going to force his hand to take any further action, besides he'd hate me for doing so," Ilse replied. "Not to mention that I don't want to know what he'd do if he tried again and she'd shoot him down – again."

"Yeah, I still can't believe Sam turned Jack down. They are like soul mates," Cassie responded. "It must've really hurt him, because he never talks about feelings and the only time he does…"

Ilse nodded, hearing the young woman's voice trail off. "What did Jack tell you in the parking lot?"

"Um… he told me about you, how you two know each other – I'm sorry about Lily, by the way – and that you were good friends, almost family. Why?"

"He didn't tell you about General Hammond's offer?" Ilse inquired.

"No, what offer?"

Looking around them, to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation, Ilse elaborated. "George wants to retire and he and the President want Jack to take his place, and Jack pretty much accepted it with Carter and all… you can't tell anyone yet, since he hasn't told anyone else."

Cassie was shocked to hear that Jack would go to Washington DC – of his own volition. "Of course, I won't tell anyone… I guess that means I'll see even less of him if he's going to live there."

Noticing the sadness in her voice, Ilse patted Cassie's knee. "I don't think he's going to sell his house here and you'll still be able to visit him on holidays and go to the cabin with him."

"I can't believe Sam doesn't realize what her actions are doing to him, to all of us," Cassie huffed, the teenager inside her coming to the surface. "All because she wants a normal life… it's not like she'll ever have that! I mean, she goes out traipsing around the universe for a living, has met versions of herself from an alternate universe or a clone or robot, has been possessed by an alien entity and a snake – twice – and she's like the smartest person on the planet. No, the smartest inhabitant of this galaxy and she's the legal guardian of an alien girl. But she thinks her life will be normal if she'll marry a cop!"

"Easy there, Cassie," Ilse admonished her, making sure no one overheard them as she was looking around. "I don't like what she's doing either, especially because of Jack, but that doesn't mean she cares any less for you. Jack told me she's probably loved you from the moment you met and that she risked her own life for you… don't be mad at her for choosing a life you don't want her to, I don't even think Jack is mad at her for that," seeing Cassie was about to object, Ilse raised her hand and continued. "He still loves her, even if she doesn't want to be with him or wait for him… I think he's just disappointed, but he still wants her to be happy and so should you."

"God, you sound like Oprah or Dr. Phil," Cassie sighed, rolling her eyes, knowing that maybe Ilse was right.

"What are you two up to?" Jack asked, leaning over to their side.

"Nothing," Cassie quickly replied.

"We were just thinking that maybe you should ask Carter for a dance, Jack," Ilse told him, a slight smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"I don't think so," Jack huffed.

"Jack, you're going to have to say goodbye to her – especially since you're going to DC and won't be here in the Springs for her wedding… what better time to have that last dance?"

"What?" Cassie exclaimed, not having realized Jack would move so soon.

"Don't worry Cass, I'll try to be back for the wedding, since Carter wants me there and apparently likes torturing me," Jack sighed, scrubbing his face at which Ilse let out an admonishing "Jack!" and swatted his arm. "Fine, I'll ask her, it's not like she can reject me with half the room filled with SGC personnel."

"You know," Cassie started as Jack got up and left to take over from Jacob. "We could put in a request song."

Ilse smirked at the brilliant idea, knowing exactly what to request. "I'll do it," she said and seeing Cassie's unasked question, she proceeded. "They won't expect me to do such a thing for the two of them."

"Right," Cassie smiled.  _Yeah, I think I really do like her!_

* * *

"Can I cut in, Dad?" Jack asked, tapping on Jacob's shoulder.

"Of course Jack, I'm sure Sam won't mind," Jacob smiled at the two of them, giving Sam a slight push into the younger man's direction. It was about time he came up here to talk to her! "Have fun, you two."

"You don't mind, do you, Carter?"

Sam was about to say she  _did_  mind, when she saw the concerned and somewhat pleading look in his eyes…  _One dance can't hurt, right?_  Besides, it would look rather strange if she were to refuse her CO a dance amidst their coworkers. "I don't mind, Sir."

Giving her a small smile, Jack placed his hand on her waist and pulled her closer to him. He could feel the warmth of her body through the thin fabric of her dress and he saw a faint blush traveling up her neck when he touched her. Intertwining their hands he once again relished in the soft skin of her hand and after all these years he still couldn't fathom how she could do the same job he did and still have such soft skin.

Sam smiled up at him and followed his lead as they started dancing. She could feel his warm hand on her waist and she felt like he'd burned her with his touch, which was ridiculous. "I'm glad you came, Sir," she started, trying to break the slightly uncomfortable silence. "I mean, I could understand if you didn't want to, after…"

"Yeah, well, like I said, I want you to be happy Carter and you asked me to be here, so I came," Jack spoke softly. "You are happy, aren't you?"

"Yes Sir, I am," she said in somewhat nervous tone. "I wish everyone would stop asking me that. Sir? We're still friends, right?"

"Always Carter," Jack said, before pulling her a bit closer. Enjoying the feeling of her in his arms, Jack swirled her around while maintaining their silence. He looked up when he heard the music change, startled that the song had already ended.

  


_♫_ _"…I thought we'd be simple together_

_I thought we'd be happy together…"_ _♫_

  


Clearing his throat, Jack decided that perhaps just listening to the song wasn't his best idea. "Have you made up your mind yet, about SG-1 and the USAF?"

"No, not yet, Sir. I'm pretty sure I don't want command anymore, we've been too lucky these last years and I don't want to die on some backwater planet… maybe I can do research in my lab, to study the items before they go to Area 51…" Her voice trailed off, not wanting to touch a sensitive subject. Instead, she listened to the song they were dancing to.

  


_♫_ _"…You've been my soul mate and mentor_

_I remembered you the moment I met you_

_With you I knew God's face was handsome…"_ _♫_

  


Sam briefly wondered if someone had taken a look at her life to come up with these lyrics as she listened to the song. The lyrics were describing her feelings in an almost creepy manner and she knew the General had noticed as well as he'd tensed up in her arms.

"Just promise me you'll think about it, Carter. I don't want you to throw away everything you've worked so hard for," Jack said, still a bit unsettled by her unexpected plan and slightly upset that she would just throw it all out the window for that cop.  _Who the hell picked this damn song?_  It's really not celebratory material, Jack thought, mad at whoever decided to play this song as he and Carter were dancing.

  


_♫_ _"…This loss is numbing me_

_It pierces my chest_

_And I can't stop dropping everything…"_ _♫_

  


He felt her stiffen and when he looked down he realized that his words didn't come out right. "I meant that you have a brilliant career ahead of you Carter and if it's just about the dangers and the long hours, I don't think you should resign from the Air Force while you can just ask for more lab time or something."

"Yes Sir, I guess you're right. I only mentioned it before because I wanted you to know, in case I do decide and then I don't want to spring this on you, Sir."

  


_♫_ _"…I thought we'd be sexy together_

_Thought we'd be evolving together_

_I thought we'd have children together_

_I thought we'd be family together…"_ _♫_

  


"Well, you won't be springing it on me, Carter," Jack said, deciding this would be as good a time as any to tell her about DC.

"Sir?" She questioned him, locking her eyes on his.

"Hammond's going to retire and he and our commander in chief want me to replace him."

Stunned, Sam didn't know how to react. "Um… wow, Sir, that's great," she stammered.

"Yeah, I'm going to fly a desk in DC, real great, Carter," he joked.

"If anyone deserves to replace General Hammond, it's you, Sir," Sam said seriously, trying to be happy for him, but at the same time realizing that meant he'd be leaving her – the SGC, the team, Colorado…

"That's what they said, so I'll be searching for my replacement next week and after that I'm going to be promoted to Major General and will take command of Homeworld Security."

"So soon, Sir?" Sam asked startled, her eyes wide. "What about… will you still come back to the SGC? What about SG-1 and…" She almost asked him 'what about me?' but she wasn’t going to go there because she didn't have that right anymore – if she ever had.

  


_♫_ _"…Thought we'd be exploring together_

_Thought we'd be inspired together_

_I thought we'd be flying together_

_Thought we'd be on fire together_

_But I was sadly mistaken…"_ _♫_

  


"We'll see, Carter. But don't worry, I said I'd always be there for you and I meant it."

"Does that mean you'll still be at my wedding, Sir?"

"If you want me to, Carter," Jack said in a resigned voice as the song ended. He brought up his hands to cup her cheeks and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. Yeah _,_  Jack thought _, I was sadly mistaken…_

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm usually not one for songfics but I really thought this kind of fitted the situation. Oh and if anyone is interested in the song, it's called 'Simple Together' by Alanis Morissette.


	16. Day After

“Cassie?”

“What is it, Sam?” Cassie asked, turning towards her.

“I forgot to ask you where your bag is,” Sam bashfully admitted. “Because you can just throw it in my Volvo before we leave.”

“Oh, um… Sam? I already dropped it off at Jack’s; I figured I’d be staying there the weekend.”

“Oh,” Sam said in a small voice. “I understand.”

“It’s just that, you know… you and Pete and this being your engagement party, I figured you’d want some privacy…” Cassie’s voice trailed off. She’d asked Jack if she could stay with him when he picked her up and they dropped her bag off on their way over here and she really didn’t want to be around Sam and Pete the entire weekend…

“Cassie, you’re not a nuisance. I meant it when I invited you and you’re family, you’re always welcome, no matter what day or time it is,” Sam replied a bit hurt.

“Yeah, Sam is right,” Pete added halfheartedly. _Please let her say ‘no,’_ he secretly thought. It was one thing to be a father to two small children he only saw every other weekend, but having to take care of a teenager that didn’t like him – which was mutual – wasn’t part of his plans…

“That’s okay, I’ll be going home with Jack, that way you’ll have the house to yourselves.”

Sam sighed and was a bit hesitant. “What about, eh… the General and Ilse?”

“What about them?”

“Well, you know, they might…” her voice trailed off.

“Want to have the house to themselves,” Pete reluctantly finished Sam’s sentence.

“Jack said it was okay for me to stay, so…”

“What’s this about?” Jack inquired with raised eyebrows after joining them, throwing an arm around Cassie.

Leaning into him, Cassie gestured between herself and Sam. “I was just telling Sam and Pete that I’ll be staying with you for the weekend.”

“Oh, is that a problem, Carter? Because I figured you wouldn’t mind…”

Sam held up her hands in a defensive gesture. “No, Sir, it’s not a problem. It’s just that I thought Cassie would be staying at my place and I don’t want her to be a bother for you and Ilse…”

“Oh, Cassie is no bother at all,” Ilse chimed in. “I don’t mind her staying, that way we can get to know each other a bit better, right Cass?”

Cassie returned her smile and nodded to Sam.

“Besides, I’ll be going home tomorrow,” Ilse continued. “Unfortunately I still have a business to run and that way Jack and Cassie can spend the rest of the weekend together.”

Nodding stiffly, Sam reluctantly agreed and watched the three of them leave. Most of the guests had already left; the party had been quite a success. Her Dad had just taken Mark to a motel and at the same time Daniel, Teal’c, and Anise had gone back to base. It was just Pete, Hilda, Rob, Georgia, and Mike and his wife, Sam concluded looking around the room.

* * *

 

“Do you have to go in today?”

“Yes Cassie, I have to. I already took yesterday off for Carter’s shindig and I doubt our alien friends and foes realize normal people don’t work on a Saturday,” Jack told her yawning. He poured two cups of coffee and took one with him when he sat down at the table.

“Good morning,” Ilse cheeringly greeted the two of them, walking in wearing a peignoir and pink fluffy slippers.

“Ugh,” Cassie greeted her, grabbing the cup of coffee and joined Jack at the table. “Why are you so happy at six in the morning?”

“She’s always like that,” Jack whined. “So damn bright and sunny in the morning.”

“Isn’t that illegal or something?” Cassie questioned in a sulking tone, taking a sip of her coffee when she realized something. “Oh, I’m sorry; I just took this coffee because it’s usually just Jack and me…”

“It is for you, Cass,” Jack said, making a vague hand gesture towards Ilse. “She doesn’t drink coffee.”

“What?”

“I don’t like the taste,” Ilse said, scrunching up her nose. “Or the smell. Or the moodiness people seem to have before their caffeine shot.”

Cassie just snorted at her explanation and Jack rolled his eyes.

“How about fixing us some breakfast,” he smirked.

Swallowing her coffee, Cassie almost spit it out at hearing Jack’s suggestion. “Jack?”

“What? She’s always telling me I’m a lousy chef and that I should eat better, so I let her cook whenever she is here,” he smugly stated.

Ilse rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips. “It’s okay, Cassie, I don’t mind. I kind of like cooking and it’s a whole lot better than eating Froot Loops or a beer omelet,” she teased Jack.

“I resent that!”

“What do you want for breakfast, General?”

Glancing conspiratorially at Cassie, they smiled. “Pancakes, please.”

“Ugh, that’s so gross. I can’t believe you can eat pancakes for breakfast,” Ilse commented. “But,” she started as he wanted to object. “I’ll make them while you go for a run.”

Cassie giggled at Ilse’s condition and she outright laughed in Jack’s face when he glared at her, knowing how much he hated running if his life didn’t depend on it.

“What? It’s good for your knees,” Ilse said innocently but with an evil gleam in her eyes. “Besides, you don’t want to become a chubby desk flying General, do you?”

“Fine, I’ll go,” rolling his eyes, Jack got up and went into his bedroom to put on his running clothes.

“You know, you really are too cheery,” Cassie said to Ilse. “I mean, you probably slept as much as I did and you had a few drinks last night.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Ilse grinned, while cleaning the sideboard and making preparations for her pancakes.

“Don’t let that innocent face fool you, Cassie,” Jack said as he came back. “That woman can drink! I guess it’s from all that experience, huh? She can probably out drink me and not even wake up with a hangover, it’s disgusting.”

Cassie’s eyebrows shot up at his remarks, but Ilse just smiled sweetly at her. “Really?”

“Yeah, well don’t worry: I’m so over those drinking days,” she replied. “Jack, you go run while I take a shower and then I’ll make the pancakes, so you can shower.”

“Experience?” Cassie questioned as Jack ran out the front door.

“Cassie,” Ilse rolled her eyes, trying to evade the subject.

“Oh, come on, you were the one that told Sam we should get to know each other better.”

“Fine,” she sighed. “As Jack may have told you, I kind of acted out when my father died. You know, wrong friends, skipping school, staying out late, drinking, smoking pot, that kind of thing,” she casually summed up.

“No, I don’t know that kind of thing,” Cassie stated, eyes wide.

“Well, my situation was a bit different. I mean, our school system is nothing like it is here and back home you’re allowed to drink all kinds of alcohol with a percentage lower than 15% at the age of sixteen… and we, of course, have legalized soft drugs,” Ilse shrugged as if it was nothing.

“You do?”

“Yeah, and Jack always likes to tease me with that. It’s also the reason I didn’t think twice when you asked for a beer,” Ilse sheepishly admitted. “Now, I should shower before Jack comes back.”

Cassie nodded, still a bit stunned by Ilse’s story. She walked up to her room – Jack and Sam had both converted a guest room for her – to grab a book that had to be finished by Monday. The only reason she’d gotten up so early was because she woke up when Jack went downstairs. They’d watched an episode of _The Simpsons_ together, while waiting for the coffee machine to give them their first shot. He told her that Ilse was going to the airport after lunch, so she had decided to stay downstairs to get to know the other woman a bit better before she had to leave. She could always go to bed early tonight…

* * *

 

Jack had just rounded the corner when he saw Carter’s silver Volvo driving up his house. _Great, just what I need…_ he slowed down a bit, giving her time to walk up to his house without noticing him and when she didn’t come back – _someone must’ve let her in_ – he picked up his pace again.

“Hey Jack,” Cassie greeted him when he passed the doorway.

“Cassie, what’s Carter doing here?” Jack politely asked, looking around the living room.

“Oh, hi Sir,” Sam said, peeping her head out of the kitchen. “I called Cassie to see if she wanted to have breakfast with me, but she said you were having pancakes and that I should come by.”

Jack saw a blush creeping up her cheeks – _that adorable blush_ – and shrugged. “Yeah, well, Ilse is supposed to make them. You won’t happen to know where she is?”

“Right here,” Ilse replied, coming through the backdoor. “I was just brushing my hair. Now, you go shower and I’ll make pancakes. Oh… Hello, Colonel Carter.”

Sam turned around to look at her and muttered a greeting. Well, at least now she’s wearing clothes, Sam thought, reminded of the time she came to the General’s house, and Ilse had walked around in nothing but a towel. Although, the skirt barely reached mid-thigh, so it hardly covered more than a towel… __

“Wow, your hair is really long,” Cassie said as she watched Ilse walk away. “I hadn’t noticed it before, because you wore a clip.”

“Yeah, it’s getting a bit too long, though. It could use a haircut,” Ilse pondered aloud, running her hand through her long curls.

“Nah, your long curls make you look cute,” Jack said.

“Cute?” Sam stared at the General.

Jack shrugged. “Well, it does look cute, doesn’t it?” He admitted bashfully. “And this way I can pull at it,” he grinned, mimicking his words.

“You’re such a kid,” Ilse sighed, swatting his hand away from her hair. “And it’s not ‘cute,’ it makes me look young.”

“You _are_ young,” Jack replied.

“But it makes me look like I’m twelve,” Ilse mentioned, letting out a dramatic sigh.

Jack gave her a quick onceover. “No, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t,” he smirked.

“Fine, sixteen then,” she rolled her eyes.

Cassie was smiling at the two of them, it was obvious Jack enjoyed teasing her and it made Cassie curious about Lily. Every time she saw Jack and Ilse together, they were engaged in either a flirty or a friendly banter, like good friends as Jack had told her. But when Jack was pulling her hair he was acting more like a big brother and Cassie wondered if that was how he was with Lily. Maybe she could go with Jack sometime to visit her? Hearing about his family had made her more curious about Jack, because she thought she already knew him so well. Catching Sam’s eye, she smirked and noticed that Sam had a hard time returning it without coming off as insincere.

“Well,” Jack mused aloud, cocking his head to the side he took his time checking her out, his eyes roaming over her curves. “I’m pretty sure you had a few less, eh… curves back then.”

“What? No I didn’t,” Ilse replied insulted.

“Yes, I’m quite sure. Besides, what’s the big deal? I thought women liked looking younger?”

“Well, I’m sure I wouldn’t mind it in ten years, but I can tell you, Jack, that it’s getting really annoying to have to show your ID whenever you want to buy a bottle of vodka or want to go clubbing here in the States. I’m almost thirty and people still think I’m barely legal – especially wearing my hair down.”

 _God, she really is still in her twenties_ , Sam spitefully thought. If she were honest, Sam could understand how some people would think she was in her early twenties. If you only looked at her, she looked younger, with her curls framing her face and cascading down her back, but when she talked you could hear and see that she was a more mature.

“Yeah, one wouldn’t think you’re that ‘old’ if you use that innocent face of yours,” Jack teased her.

Ilse huffed and turned around, making a beeline to the kitchen to start on breakfast. “If you want those pancakes, you should get showered or else you’ll be late,” she yelled over her shoulder.

“That’s okay, I’m ‘The Man’ now, I can be late,” he smugly replied.

“Actually, Sir,” Sam started, brought out of her daze, “I don’t think you can, since there are scheduled briefings for SG-13 and -16.”

“Great,” Jack sighed, before going to the bathroom.

“Do you need some help?” Cassie asked, walking towards the kitchen.

“No, thanks Cass, but I’m almost done with the, eh… dough?” She asked, gesturing towards the bowl to her side as she wasn’t sure it was the right word. “Just need to bake them. Can one of you set the table? Will you be joining us, Colonel Carter?”

“Um… Cassie invited me, I didn’t know that you…” Sam’s voice trailed off.

“Oh no, it’s fine!” Ilse rushed to say. “Just wondering how you want your pancakes and how much?”

* * *

 

“Carter, what are you doing here?” Jack asked as he walked over to the commissary table his Colonel – no wait, not his Colonel anymore… if she ever was – was sitting at.

“Sir!” Sam’s head shot up, startled and feeling like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Um… I was just, eh…”

“Sneaking around on base on your day off? The day _after_ your engagement party?” Jack quirked his eyebrow.

“There’s this project I was working on, Sir, and I suddenly had this idea–”

“Ack! Didn’t I tell you I didn’t want to see you on base this weekend over breakfast?” Jack tried ignoring how weird that had sounded, the two of them having breakfast together…

“Yes Sir, but this idea just popped into my head and I figured I might as well go here and work on it…”

“When did you get here?”

“Just after lunch, Sir,” Sam bashfully admitted. She’d been off her game ever since Cassie had invited her over for breakfast. Sam had felt like a third wheel, with the General and Ilse playing house. Cassie and Ilse had gotten along great, like they had known each other for a while and the General and Ilse… well, they sure looked like they were having fun. Therefore, when Sam had finally gotten home and felt less awkward, she had tried to relax with Pete. However, he’d been watching some cop show and Sam had been bored out of her skull.

She had thought about taking her bike out for a ride, but then it started raining, and when she had started reading a so-called scientific article and had been highlighting all their mistakes, an idea had struck her! She and Dr. Lee had been working on a way to make off-world communication more reliable, especially to prevent atmospheric disturbances and she hadn’t been able to get to her lab fast enough to work it out. She had lost track of time until she’d gotten hungry and went to the commissary. Just her luck that apparently the General was hungry as well, she mused.

“Carter, it’s already 1930 hours and you’re still here. Go home.”

“Yes Sir,” Sam sighed and she picked up her tray and left for the night.

Jack sat down at the now vacant table and started eating his red jello. He’d called Cassie earlier and she’d told him she was studying and would order in, so he didn’t have to worry about her. He smiled; the little alien girl was all grown up. This morning had been a bit awkward with Carter joining them for breakfast, mostly because that was what he’d longed for for so many years – to be with her and do everyday things, like enjoying breakfast together.

He’d been a bit surprised with how well Cassie and Ilse had gotten along and he was almost afraid to leave the two women alone at his house. After chatting with Cassie just now his worst fear had been confirmed: Ilse had told her all kinds of stories about him, most of which he didn’t want other people to know… not to mention that she had actually shown Cassie some pictures she apparently had on her laptop – _damn those computers!_ Cassie told him they weren’t embarrassing or anything, which only served to make him even more suspicious about said pictures. He’d been thinking about possible photographs for at least an hour after their phone call. Anyway, it was good to know that they liked each other and Cassie had even dropped her off at the airport.

Looking around, Jack noticed there were only a few people left in the commissary and he got up, emptied his tray and went down to his office. Glancing at the paperwork that was left, he decided that could be done tomorrow and told Walter to go home, like he was doing. The only good thing that had happened at the SGC today was that no one had gotten injured – a slow day at the infirmary – no teams had gotten into trouble and he had been looking through files to look for the right person to take over his job. Most of the men – there weren’t any woman, probably because Carter was one of the highest ranking women in the AF with the right background and she was only a lieutenant colonel – weren’t qualified for this kind of work, he had soon learned.

But when he’d come across the file of one of his old pals – Hank Landry – his interest had been piqued. He might very well be the best of the best and that’s exactly what the SGC needed. He would comb through a few more files tomorrow or the day after, but Jack’s gut instinct told him that Hank was the one. Maybe it wouldn’t take him forever to find suitable replacement and he might actually be able to go to Washington next week, Jack pondered. Then again, the idea of going to Washington filled him with dread. Staying here and watching Carter play wife or even worse: to stay and work here while Carter resigned from the USAF, being constantly reminded of her when one of the eggheads would talk to him or when he had to be on level 19, which he would always associate with her lab… _Not a good idea, O’Neill_ , he told himself.

 


	17. Small Scenes

“Do you guys have plans for the weekend?” Daniel asked them while leaving the gateroom.

“I was thinking about taking my bike out for a ride,” Sam smiled, entering the elevator. “I hear it’s going to be sunny.”

“Indeed,” Teal’c agreed. “Master Sergeant Siler has informed me about an event called a ‘flea market’ upcoming weekend in the city.”

Pressing the button for level 21, Daniel snorted. “You’re going to a flea market?”

“Indeed, according to O’Neill it is comparable to the two yearly bazaars we had on Chulak.”

“It’s mostly a bunch of crap people don’t want anymore,” Sam stated. “They keep it somewhere until there’s a flea market and try to sell it; it’s kind of like a garage sale only with more people and their things.”

Quirking an eyebrow Teal’c asked what a garage sale was and Daniel started to explain the concept, until they reached the infirmary for their post mission exam.

“So,” Daniel started, as they were all cleared and moving four floors down for the locker rooms. “I was thinking maybe we should have a team night? We could do it at my place, or maybe Jack’s.”

“Indeed, it will not be long until O’Neill will leave Stargate Command.”

“Or were you planning to go away the entire weekend with your bike, Sam?”

“No, just a ride on Sunday, since Pete is going to Denver Saturday afternoon,” Sam replied.

“Ah, it’s his weekend with his kids?”

“I do not understand this concept,” Teal’c mentioned after Sam nodded an affirmative.

Daniel and Teal’c walked into the locker room together, while Sam turned around and went up another level to check the MALP room, seeing as it’s the guy’s turn to have the locker room first. “What’s not to understand, Teal’c?”

“How does one own a weekend with his children? Can they not share the time with the other parent?”

“Well, this is how it usually goes when two parents split up. They either have shared custody, which usually means they share the time equally: one week with mom and the other with dad. But you can also get sole custody…”

* * *

 

“Carter,” Jack nodded as the elevator doors opened.

“Sir,” Sam stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for her lab.

“Oh, I just ran into Daniel and he asked me to tell you the locker room is all yours – and the rest of the females,” Jack said, without looking up from the report he was studying.

“Thank you, Sir,” she said, quickly pressing ‘level 25’. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Sam was looking around the car and noticed the blinking button for level 11. “Going to get cake, Sir?” She asked, trying to lighten the mood, assuming the only reason he’d go up to that level was to change elevators and head to the commissary on level 3. Their relationship had been a bit strained, ever since she’d accepted Pete’s proposal and she understood that at some level, but lately there was an almost visible tension between them. Probably since the engagement party, a week and a half ago, she pondered. Or maybe breakfast the day after, because that had been quite awkward…

“No, my coffee machine broke down and I don’t want to bother Walter with getting me coffee, something wrong with that, Carter?”

“No, Sir,” she quickly replied. Damn, why did it have to be like this? Even the elevator seemed to be conspiring against her, why wouldn’t it just go down, instead of all the way up? “Daniel and Teal’c suggested a team night this weekend, Sir.”

“Oh,” Jack remarked.

“Will you be able to make it Saturday night, Sir?”

“We’ll see, Carter. I have a lot of things to do,” he responded absentmindedly. Looking up, Jack saw her facial expression and he felt like crap. Maybe he had been a bit unfriendly _…_  “You know, with Washington and all.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong,” Jack asked her when her expression didn’t change. “Did something happen on P2R-9… something something?”

“I’m fine Sir, nothing happened,” she assured him. “P2R-922 was uninhabited and I was cleared by the doctor.”

“Okay,” Jack drawled out. “Wanna grab some cake?”

This elicited a smile from Sam. “I thought you said your coffee machine was broken?” Seeing him grin, she felt something flutter and her smile grew. “Sir,” she added belatedly.

“Yeah, well, it is, doesn’t mean I can’t eat cake as well. Or jello, if you want.”

“I should get showered and changed, the debriefing is in half an hour,” Sam reminded him.

“Yes, Carter, I know, I’m supposed to be there, remember?”

“Thank you, Sir,” she said, as he walked out of the elevator and she saw him wave over his shoulder. Glad no one was joining her, she moved a bit to the centre as the car went back down. Inhaling deeply, she held her breath a bit before exhaling loudly; trying to relax now that she was alone.

* * *

_“Hammond.”_

“Hey George,” Jack said as the other receiver was picked up.

 _“Jack!”_ He chuckled, _“How are things at the SGC?”_

“Fine, fine, everything’s good here. I actually wanted to let you know I’m certain I found the right man for the job.”

_“Really? Well, don’t let my curiosity kill me.”_

“An old buddy of mine, General Hank Landry,” Jack casually mentioned.

 _“Yes, I’ve read his file; I thought you might like him_. _So, I guess you finding your replacement means I can finally retire?_ ”

“Yeah, so it took me a little longer than a week, but I had to be sure and check out everyone,” Jack was gesturing with his hands, even though his CO couldn’t see him. “And now I am sure.”

_“That’s great news, I have a meeting with the President in twenty minutes and I’ll let him know.”_

“I was thinking of dropping by at his – Landry’s – place and offer the job, I don’t think a phone call or an email will do in this case,” he smirked.

George chuckled at his comment, probably remembering all too well how much trouble he’d had when he’d been told about the ’gate and that conversation had been face to face. _“Yes, good luck with that.”_

Rolling his eyes, Jack responded. “I think I’m going to need it.”

_“Make sure you wear your dress blues and take Colonel Carter or Reynolds with you… they might be able to make it more, eh… believable.”_

“Why, thank you, Sir,” Jack said, slightly offended.

_“You were the one that said you knew him, Jack, so I take it he knows your reputation as well…”_

“Well, yes, but I’m a General now, I’m ‘The Man’…”

 _“Of course you are, Jack,”_ Hammond laughed at his former 2IC. _“Call me about his response, Hammond out.”_

Holding the receiver in his hand, Jack stared at it. Had Hammond just made fun of him? Well, he was probably right since Jack was known for his irreverence and may have been insubordinate on a few occasions and he’d always stuck it to ‘The Man’… Yeah, he should take Carter or Reynolds with him!Pondering his thoughts, Jack looked up Landry’s address and decided to take Reynolds with him. No way he was taking Carter with him for such a long ride with how much tension there had been between them…

Leaning forwards, he pressed the button for the intercom and told Walter to get Colonel Reynolds to his office immediately.

* * *

 

“You know, maybe we should have a ‘going away’-party for Jack,” Daniel suggested, before taking a sip of his coffee.

“What are you referring to, Daniel Jackson? Does O’Neill not always leave at the end of the day?”

“Well, yes of course he does,” Daniel started; ready to explain the concept to his friend, as he noticed the corner of Teal’c’s mouth quirking up. “Very funny, Teal’c.”

“Indeed,” the Jaffa said with a slight grin.

Snickering, Sam winked at Teal’c. “You have to admit that you totally bought it, Daniel.”

Rolling his eyes, Daniel ignored her comment. “But we should, shouldn’t we?”

“I concur with Daniel Jackson,” Teal’c replied before starting his lunch.

“Yeah, I guess… We should ask the General though, he might not like it.”

“Sam, please, he’s been here for eight years! He was there for the first Abydos mission, he, Ferretti and myself have been here the longest. He deserves to have a party.”

“Maybe he does, but knowing the General and his dislike for parties…”

“Does O’Neill not enjoy parties as long there is ‘cake’?”

Sam smiled at him, wondering if there was anyone on base that didn’t know that about their base commander. “Yes, Teal’c, he does, but not when the party is for him. He doesn’t like being in the spotlight, I think. Do you remember the promotion party you threw him last time, Daniel?”

Cringing at the memory, Daniel nodded. “You’re right, we should ask him.”

“Perhaps Chief Master Sergeant Harriman could help organize such an event,” Teal’c said in between bites.

“Yeah, he was also the one that did most of the organizing for General Hammond’s farewell party,” Daniel mused aloud. “I saw Jack earlier today, but I forgot to mention this weekend.”

“I ran into him in the elevator and I told him, he said that he wasn’t sure if he could make it,” Sam replied.

Stuffing his last chocolate walnut cookie in his mouth, Daniel shrugged. “Maybe he already has plans?”

“I don’t know, he said he had a lot of things to do, with Washington and all.”

“Makes sense… it could also be that he and Ilse have plans and he didn’t want to mention that,” Daniel said in an innocent tone, looking at Sam.

“Yeah, who knows,” Sam uttered, before shoving her half-eaten blue jello away. “I have to go, still have to write my mission report.”

Turning towards Teal’c, he looked startled. “Was it something I said?”

“Perhaps your mention of Ilse Lindeman diminished Colonel Carter’s appetite,” Teal’c offered.

A slow grin appeared on Daniel’s face. “Well, I guess that means she still has feelings for Jack!”

* * *

 

“O’Neill.”

Jack turned around after hearing Teal’c’s booming voice echoing through the corridors. “Yeah, T?”

“Daniel Jackson was suggesting we would have a celebration for your leaving.”

“I’m hurt Teal’c, you’d actually like to see me leave?”

For a moment, Teal’c looked confused. “I would not, O’Neill. You are like a brother to me.”

“You’re what? Over one hundred years old?”

“A younger brother, perhaps,” a small smile formed on the Jaffa’s face.

“Well, tell Danny I don’t want a big, fancy party. I could throw a barbecue at my place and invite everyone from the SGC and some aliens, if they promise to behave. I don’t want complaints from the old lady next-door,” Jack smirked.

“Have you found a suitable replacement to take command of Stargate Command?”

“Yeah, there was a file of an old buddy of mine, Hank Landry. I’m going over to his place with Reynolds in thirty minutes to see if he wants it.”

“Is it not a great honor?”

“Of course it is, but you have to be a bit crazy to work here,” Jack replied, grinning.

However, Teal’c was not amused. “O’Neill, are you suggesting that–”

“You’re not crazy Teal’c, you’re an alien.”

“Indeed.”

“I’d love to hang out with you Teal’c, but I have to get my dress blues,” Jack said, disgust showing on his face. “Tell Space Monkey that I’ll throw a barbecue and perhaps we can make it a team night afterwards?”

“I shall convey your message.”

* * *

 

“I brought you coffee,” Daniel tentatively said, walking cautiously into Sam’s lab.

Looking up, Sam smiled at him. “Thanks, what did I do to deserve it?”

“It’s possible I was a bit insensitive in the commissary,” Daniel tried, sitting down on the extra stool.

“Oh?”

“I didn’t mean anything by it, Sam.”

“I know Daniel. It’s just, eh… a bit weird, you know?”

Sipping from his own coffee, Daniel waited until he spoke. “Why? You have Pete and he apparently has Ilse.”

“Daniel,” Sam started, putting the cup down. “Just because I have Pete, doesn’t mean that–”

“That Jack isn’t allowed to move on?” Daniel interrupted her, his voice containing a trace of anger.

“No!” Startled, she took a deep breath. “That’s not what I meant. Seeing them together, it’s just strange. The General is always such a private man; he didn’t even tell us he was seeing Kerry Johnson a while ago until I accidently ran into her when visiting.” Thinking about it, there seemed to be a developing pattern, Sam mused. _First Kerry, and then Ilse when I went over to his place_ ….

Shrugging, Daniel responded. “I know what you mean, it was strange to see him act so…”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. “I want the General to be happy, I do. It’s just weird…”

Standing up from the stool, Daniel looked at her before walking out of her lab. “I guess, just remember that you’re the one that moved on first.”

“Am I?” Sam wondered aloud, letting out a sigh.

* * *

 

“Daniel Jackson, are you engaged in important matters?”

“Huh?” Daniel looked up from the book he was reading. “What is it, Teal’c?”

“O’Neill asked me to relay a message to you.”

Frowning, Daniel looked at him. Teal’c was one of his best friends, family even, but Daniel could swear he liked speaking in riddles. “Which is what?”

“He does not wish a ‘big, fancy party.’ Instead, he proposes to invite Stargate Command personnel and perhaps some alien allies to a backyard barbecue, after which we could have a team night.”

“Oh, okay, that’ll work as well,” Daniel smiled. “When?”

“He did not specify,” Teal’c solemnly said, before bowing slightly and walking away.

“Hmm…” Wondering what he should do, Daniel decided to ask Walter. He quickly turned off the lighting in his lab and proceeded to the elevators, pushing the button to take him ten levels lower.

* * *

 

“How do you think he will react, Sir?”

Jack looked sideways at Reynolds and shrugged. “Don’t know, I have this idea he’ll start laughing and refuses to believe me… that’s where you come in.”

Albert chuckled and looked at the General. “Yeah, I kind of figured there was a reason you asked for me, Sir. Although I think Colonel Carter would’ve been better to show the evidence…”

“Reynolds… Don’t get me wrong,” Jack sighed. “I trust Carter to watch my six, to save the world – any world – to break us out of any place and to fix whatever doohickey we come across, but she can get a bit too carried away with her techno-babble. I actually want him to say ‘yes,’ not run away screaming or glace over.”

“Oh, I hear you, Sir,” he chuckled again. He’d met the then-Captain Carter when he was still a Major at Area 51 and had already heard of her reputation. After working with her a few times, he’d been suitably impressed with her abilities and brain, but he also knew there were only a few ‘people’ – most of which weren’t even human, let alone live on the same planet – that could follow her techno babble.

Jack sat back, pretending to read some files, while Reynolds was driving, but he was actually thinking. He hadn’t been lying to Reynolds, Carter could be really scary once she was on a roll, but he also knew that she wouldn’t have blown this had he taken her with him. However, that would’ve meant that he and Carter would be spending an hour and a half – both ways – in the car together. Which had never been a problem, but lately the tension had been building between the two of them. It would’ve worried Jack, had he not been transferring to Washington. How much tension could there be with 1,600 miles in between them? The distance would be a good thing, they could stay in touch, but he wouldn’t have to watch her with that cop…

Hearing a soft beep, Jack grabbed his cell phone and saw he had received a text message. Opening it, he noticed it was from Lily and he had to try hard to understand what it was saying.

“Can’t read it, Sir?” Albert asked politely as he watched the General squinting at his phone, moving it back and forward. “Mine has such little pesky letters I could hardly read it, until my wife showed me you could actually set your preferences and now I can read them.”

“No, it’s not that. I can see them properly, understanding is something else…”

Hearing the General’s voice trail off, he glanced sideways. “Sir?”

“It’s not in English,” he explained.

“Oh… I had no idea you spoke more languages, Sir. I mean, I’m sure you do, I never really thought about it and–”

“That’s okay, Reynolds,” Jack interrupted the stammering Colonel. “And I’m not particularly fluent and she knows it, I’m sure she’s doing it to irritate me.”

“Ah, women,” Reynolds responded, not knowing what else to say. He’d seen the pretty woman that had been the General’s date at Colonel Carter’s engagement party a week and a half ago, and rumors around the base had been that she was European and that they were getting pretty serious…

He’d always figured that Colonel Carter and the General would eventually get together – everyone at the base knew there was something between them, but if asked no one knew a thing – but now Carter had gotten engaged and seemed determined to marry another man. Many people had been upset, because of their bets… Albert also knew that almost everyone – especially the female nurses – had been extremely touched when they had seen the General and Colonel dancing the other night. _Yeah, even I had to swallow at the sight_ , he thought. For most it had also been the first time to see both of them outside of the SGC and in a more ‘intimate’ setting, even if the General had been wearing his dress blues.

* * *

 

“Teal’c!”

“How may I assist, Colonel Carter?”

Sam smiled up at him and shook her head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I was just wondering if you’ve seen the General?”

“Indeed I have. He was preparing to seek out his replacement with Colonel Reynolds.”

Surprised, her mouth formed a little ‘Oh’ before she could get out a proper response.“He found someone?”

“Indeed.”

“I wonder who…” Sam’s voice trailed off. Looking at her friend, she realized there was something else. “Teal’c?”

“Yes?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that you seem preoccupied, you’ve been pretty quiet the last few days, even for you,” Sam explained.

Teal’c was surprised that Colonel Carter had noticed the slight change in his behavior where no one else had. He sometimes forgot that she was not only a good warrior, but a highly perceptible woman as well. “It is nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

Slowly nodding her head, Sam showed her understanding. If he didn’t want to tell her, that was all right, as long as he knew he _could_ talk to her. “Okay, but let me know if you want to talk about it, okay?”

“I will, Colonel Carter.”

“Do you know if Daniel has asked the General about the party?”

“He has not. I, on the other hand, have asked O’Neill’s opinion of this and he proposed a barbecue, after which we could hold a team night gathering.”

“When?” She inquired with a hopeful smile on her face.

“He did not specify.”

“Okay, thanks, I should go, I have to run a diagnostic on the dialing computer,” she said, before walking away.

* * *

 

“Walter!” Daniel called out the moment he walked into the control room.

“Yes, Doctor Jackson?”

“I was wondering if Jack has told you anything about a ‘going away’-party?”

“No, he hasn’t, why?” Walter Harriman’s curiosity was now piqued; perhaps Dr. Jackson knew something he didn’t? Maybe he should ask Siler if there were any bets…

“Well, with him going away we figured we should throw a party, he deserves it.”

“Yes, if anyone has, it’s him,” Walter nodded. General O’Neill may be horrible with paperwork and could even whine sometimes – although Walter would never admit that – but he and General Hammond were the best COs Walter had ever had. The man was a legend amongst those with high enough clearance, he had commanded SG-1 for years, saved the planet over a dozen times, and had died even more often.

“So Teal’c asked him if he wanted that, but Jack said no,” Daniel sighed.

Rolling his eyes, Walter nodded. “Of course he did.”

“Yeah, but he did suggest throwing a barbecue at his place, he just forgot to mention when. So I was wondering if you could tell me when would be a good time?”

Walter signaled him to follow and they went to check Jack’s schedule, as well as cross-referencing it with the other personnel that worked with him on a daily basis.

“It should be any day now, since he’s pretty sure he found his replacement already,” Daniel said in a small voice. He was going to miss Jack, even if they would stay in touch. Jack was his best friend and they had been through so much together, it would be strange to _not_ have him around.

“Really? Do you know who?” Walter asked with the betting pool in mind.

“No, Teal’c told me, but I don’t know if he knows who.”

Well, that was a shame because Teal’c would never tell, even if he knew, Walter though, letting out a deep sigh. He – and many others – had tried for years to try to convince the Jaffa to spill the beans about something, but he would never budge. One thing Walter had learned was that if Teal’c made a bet in the betting pool, the best thing to do was to follow his lead!

* * *

 

“I asked Walter and we cross-referenced all the important schedules with Jack’s and we were thinking this Saturday would be a good time,” Daniel said, as he joined Teal’c and Sam in the commissary for their dinner.

“Well, it was going to be a sunny weekend,” Sam smiled, still not comfortable about the entire situation but trying her best.

“Indeed.”

“That’s it?” Daniel asked in a disbelieving tone.

Sam frowned and cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean, Daniel? What else should there be?”

“I don’t know, I just thought you two would have something more to say than just ‘indeed’ and a mention of the weather forecast…”

“I am most pleased to hear that coming Saturday we will be celebrating O’Neill’s skills as a great warrior and leader who has made many things possible for numerous races on different planets, several galaxies, and a few alternate realities and yet on the other hand it saddens me for him to leave Stargate Command.”

Sam and Daniel both sat stunned, staring at Teal’c.

“Wow, that was quite beautiful, Teal’c,” Sam was the first to regain her composure.

“Yeah, you can be so deep,” Daniel added with a bit of awe in his voice.

“Indeed.”

“Although, it sounds a bit sad as well,” Sam mused aloud. “Almost as if he’s going to die…”

The three of them stared at each other, small smiles on their faces visible.

“What’s going on, kids?” Jack asked, as he joined them in the commissary with his own tray of food.

“Nothing Sir,” Sam said, the smile still playing at her lips.

“Riiight, Carter. You know you’re a terrible liar, right?”

“Jack! We’ve thought about it and after Walter and I checked all the schedules, we concluded next Saturday would be perfect for the barbecue.”

“Yeah, sure you bet’cha,” Jack commented, before taking a bite of his burrito.

“You’re okay with that?” Daniel asked slightly surprised by his surrender.

“Sure, Space Monkey, it’s actually great timing. I just got off the phone with the President and he wants me in Washington on Monday.”

“Does that mean you’ve found a replacement, Sir?”

“Yup.”

 


	18. Goodbyes

“I had never imagined everyone would fit,” Daniel mentioned, looking around Jack’s backyard.

“Yeah, I know what you mean… but almost everyone is here and there is still enough room to move around,” Sam responded.

Daniel looked back at her and smiled slightly. “Where’s Pete?”

“He already left for Denver earlier this morning,” she informed him. “Are the steaks almost done?”

“Indeed they are, Colonel Carter,” Teal’c replied, standing behind the grill. He grabbed her plate and gave her a piece, before raising his voice to announce the steaks were ready.

“What about you, Sir?” Sam cautiously asked the General as he came out of his house.

“What about me, Carter?”

“Do you want a steak?”

“Nah, I already had one the first round. I’m pretty full, actually,” Jack rubbed his stomach to emphasize his words. Today had been a good end of his period at the SGC. A nice, warm afternoon in his backyard with all the people he had relied on the past few years and apparently they were all sad to see him leave. Or so they said… he’d gotten a lot of farewell gifts, some were hilarious, others were kind of nice and the rest was crap, but it was the idea that counts, he assumed. Thinking about it, it was actually the perfect ending with the sun about to set and his team here, Jack mused. There was no better ending than a day without any stress or danger of annihilation. __

Some of the guests had already started leaving and Jack didn’t mind, his team was still here. When everyone was gone, they would put in a movie, get some popcorn and beer and stay up late. Daniel would be the first to pass out after his first or second beer, eventually Teal’c would drag him off to base or one of the guest rooms and he and Carter… _Damn, Carter!_ Jack had totally forgotten that they usually cleaned up together before going to bed and even if they had gotten along reasonably well today – the tension had been bearable instead of the suffocating kind of the past few days – that didn’t mean he wanted to be alone with her.

“General, we have to leave. It was an honor serving with you, Sir,” Siler said and Walter and the other technicians were standing and nodding behind him.

“Oh, for crying out loud, Siler, I’m not going to die, you know,” Jack cried out.

Everyone started snickering and Jack thought Carter’s giggle might just be his undoing, when she thankfully stopped. Glancing at his Colonel, he saw that she was still smiling her megawatt smile, so he immediately turned back to Siler.

“And don’t worry, I’ll come by every now and then, just to see if you kids are behaving.”

“Yes Sir, we’d be happy to have you, Sir.”

Rolling his eyes, Jack gestured towards the door. They all grabbed their coats and after everyone had shaken his hand, they left. Turning around, he was almost standing toe to toe with Teal’c. “Teal’c?”

“O’Neill,” Teal’c nodded.

“What’s up?” Noticing the look Teal’c was sending him, Jack knew he wasn’t going to like this.

“I am unsure, O’Neill.”

“Just spit it out, buddy.”

“Very well… I am afraid that Colonel Carter is making a mistake by marrying Detective Shanahan and perhaps you should talk to her.”

To say that Jack was surprised, would be an understatement and his eyebrows rose until they almost reached his hairline. “Excuse me?”

“I have never interfered before–”

“Look Teal’c, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it’s of no use,” Jack softly said, making sure no one could overhear them.

“Are you certain O’Neill?”

“Yeah, we had our conversation… well, actually I talked, and she listened. She chose the _cop_. That about sums it up,” Jack said with a sting in his voice.

“I see.” Teal’c solemnly stated, the corners of his mouth drooping the slightest bit. “I will not mention it again.”

* * *

 

Grabbing a hand full of popcorn, Sam leaned back into the couch. Looking around her, she saw that Daniel was close to falling asleep on his chair, which was no surprise since he had been slurring a bit after finishing his second beer. Teal’c was staring intently at the screen while sitting on the floor, his third soda almost untouched. The General, sitting next to her on the couch, had his feet propped up the table, his hand loosely holding a bottle of Guinness resting on his legs. He really had long legs, she mused, letting her eyes wander over them. They were clad in dark blue – in the dark room it looked almost black – jeans, which fitted extremely well around his ass, she’d seen earlier. Too bad he was sitting right now…  Looking up, her eyes locked on his. _Busted!_

Sam could feel her cheeks burn up under his gaze and she was glad the room was poorly lit, the only light coming from the TV screen and a lamp in the corner. She casually leaned forward, grabbing her bottle of beer and took a swig only to realize it had been empty. She saw him smirk at her; he probably noticed it had been empty even before she took a sip. Letting out a soft giggle – surprising them both – she got up and walked to the kitchen, only to come back with two bottles of Guinness. She handed him one as she passed him to sit down on the couch.

“Thanks Carter,” he whispered, not wanting the wrath of Teal’c aimed at him for talking during the movie. Opening the bottle Jack immediately took a long swig as his mouth had gone dry as soon as he’d locked eyes with Carter. She didn’t have normal eyes like normal people, no, hers had to be huge baby blue orbs. Jack was sure they were made to dazzle and confuse people, maybe even trap them in that blue ocean… and as if those eyes weren’t bad enough, she had the cutest blush creeping up at her cheeks. _Crap!_ Taking a deep breath, Jack decided his attention should be focused on the screen.

It took her a few minutes before she was feeling confident enough to risk another look at the General. He was engrossed in the movie, which was good, she thought. Sam noticed his slightly twitching fingers around the neck of his bottle and she smiled a bit. He could never sit still, always needing something to play with. Her gaze slowly wondered upwards, admiring the sweater he’d put on earlier this evening as the temperature had started to decline. It was a soft beige or sandy color, she wasn’t sure. What she did know was that it made his skin look even more tanned and that the sweater was clinging to his body in just the right way. _Damn!_ Stop it Sam _,_ she chided herself. She was already taken, she had Pete… but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look, right? Quickly averting her gaze, she glanced at Daniel who was now snoring.

Annoyed by Daniel’s snoring, Jack almost threw a pillow at his head until he saw the endearing expression that was on Carter’s face while she looked at Daniel. Now he was annoyed with himself, what the hell was wrong with him today? He felt drawn to Carter and was extremely aware of her. Perhaps it was his subconscious, trying to take in all the details of her, knowing he wasn’t going to see her anytime soon. He let his mind wander for a minute: would she visit him in DC? Probably not, unless she’d take that _cop_ of her with her. Jack may not be in Carter’s league when it came to brains – who was, anyway? – but he wasn’t dumb either, he knew the cop didn’t want him and Carter hanging out… probably noticed how Jack felt about her. But what he couldn’t figure out for the life of him was why the cop was feeling threatened by him? It was obvious she had made her choice and Jack couldn’t blame her: the cop was younger, her age, didn’t have his baggage and he was free to express his feelings for her…

So the next time he would see her, would be… when? When he had to go to the SGC? If he was staying at his house in the Springs? Maybe they’d have lunch someday if she was in Washington for a conference or a meeting with the big guys. Oh wait, that would include him as of Monday _…_ shaking his head slightly, Jack tried to get rid of his depressing thoughts. The only thing it did though was landing his eyes on Carter. Her soft blonde hair was a bit disheveled, probably from leaning back against the couch and running her hand through it. She was letting it grow out, for the wedding he’d heard her say to Cassie. He liked it, but then he’d always liked her hair. His eyes traveled a bit lower, down her neck and he thought he was going to have a heart attack as she moved and the wide neckline of her soft blue sweater exposed her shoulder. It was a bit dark in his living room, but if it hadn’t been Jack knew he could see the small freckles on her light skin… maybe it was better he wasn’t able to see them, he decided.

Jack saw the movie end out of the corner of his eye and he quickly glanced at Teal’c, who had a knowing smile on his face. _Crap._ Lifting his legs from the table, he quickly stretched and bent them, before placing his feet back on the floor. One of the few good things of being Tok’ra-ed, he thought, at least his knees were better. Or maybe it was the sarcophagus; he should’ve thanked Ba’al for that. _Nah, I’d rather blame it on Kanan…_

“Shall I take Daniel Jackson back to Stargate Command, O’Neill?” Teal’c asked as he stood up and took in the sleeping figure in the chair.

Jack wanted to say ‘yes’, but he found himself doubting. If Teal’c would take Daniel back to the SGC that would mean Carter would be left with him…

“Maybe the two of you should stay here,” Sam offered, noticing that the General was deep in thought. “It is kind of late and we don’t have to be in tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you can take him to one of the guestrooms,” Jack added.

“Very well, pleasant dreams,” Teal’c nodded and easily lifted Daniel from the chair, dragging him up the steps.

“G’night Teal’c,” they said in unison.

Smiling, Sam looked at the General. “You want me to help clean up?”

“No, that’s okay Carter,” Jack replied.

Knowing he would say that – that’s the way it always went – Sam stood up and started clearing the table, working side by side with the General, like she had done so many times the last eight years. God, she was going to miss him when he’d be in DC…

* * *

 

 

His arm felt like it was asleep and Jack tried to move it, but it wouldn’t budge. Something heavy was keeping it in place… shrugging the best he could with one arm trapped, he tried to get a bit more comfortable and scooted forward. Yawning, he decided to sleep in today, without opening his eyes. He lowered his head onto something soft and he immediately went back to sleep.

Something was pushing slightly against his chest and he lifted his head a bit. His nose came in touch with something soft, almost silk-like and it smelled like… Carter! Opening his eyes a bit, he saw the short locks of blond hair, before closing them again. He snuggled a bit closer and nuzzled her ear. He heard her let out a sleepy sigh and softly kissed the spot below her ear, which elicited a low moan from her.

She pressed back against his body and shifted her head, so he had better access to her neck, which he immediately used to nuzzle her skin. He alternated between soft kisses and nibbling the soft skin, which kept her moaning and sighing – two sounds he’d never dared to hope to hear from her.

By now, he realized her head was lying on his arm and that was why he couldn’t move it, or why the feeling had completely left his limb, but he didn’t mind. Not if this was his reward. He’d let someone cut off his arm if that meant he could have Carter. Gingerly trying his other arm, he felt soft and warm skin under his hand. He slowly moved his fingertips and next his hand, caressing the soft skin of her stomach, to which she uttered an approving sound.

Taking his time, he let his fingers trail up her ribs with feather light touches that made her shudder. She pressed herself against him and muttered something in a breathy voice, before covering his hand with hers and moving it up. By the time his thumb was under her bra at the valley of her breast, she was pushing her ass against his arousal and he pushed back, letting out a groan of his own.

Softly pressing a kiss at the nape of her neck, he hooked his thumb under the cups of her bra stroking the underside of her silky breasts, making her arch her back and thus pressing harder against his erection. He hissed at the unexpected contact, yet grinded his hips against hers. His lips wandered back to her neck, his tongue darting out every now and then and he sucked softly at the sensitive skin, making her moan.

“Hmm… don’t stop.”

His hand reached up further, his thumb just touching her already hardened nipple, making her sigh at the touch. She pressed her hips back into his, while keeping his hand in place with her own, encouraging him to explore her soft skin further. Jack let his short nail scrape over her sensitive nipple, while he thrust his hips against hers and she moaned even louder than before. Biting down slightly at her neck, he let his thumb flick her nipple, before she pulled his hand back. Startled, he wanted to protest, until she brought his hand down lower… and lower.

Her hands had already unbuttoned her jeans and he slowly, tentatively pulled down her zipper while her hand reached back, letting it caress his ass and pull him even closer.

“More,” she groaned, covering his hand again and pushing it down.

He felt the denim of her jeans under his calloused fingertips, followed by soft silky material and all of a sudden, he froze. The Carter in his dreams never wore jeans… He felt Carter move, rubbing herself against his hard on, and he slowly opened his eyes, not really wanting to know.

Carter’s fair skin – with those cute freckles on the shoulder and Jack couldn’t help himself but press a kiss on them – her blond hair and looking up a bit, it looked like… his couch? His head quickly snapped up and he looked around, sleep completely forgotten. He was in his living room, on the couch… he must’ve fallen asleep last night before he made it to his bedroom.

Slowly lowering his head, he was almost afraid to look, he saw her. She was still here, while he was awake. His entire body tensed and she must’ve noticed because she looked over her shoulder, with a ‘deer caught in the headlights’-expression on her face, realization dawning on her as well.

“Carter!” Jack yelped, trying to move back, but instead he lost his balance and fell backwards on the floor with a loud thud.

“Sir?!”

 


	19. Aftermath

Grabbing a pen, Jack twirled it in his hands to stop from fidgeting. Not knowing what to say, he just sat there and nodded his head every now and then, which apparently was good enough. Without conscious thought, he started doodling on his notepad, pretending to write something down. Years of pretending had obviously paid off, since no one noticed him scribbling and he smirked inwardly. He quickly glanced at his watch, noting the time. It was getting late and he actually had better things to do than sit here and listen.

A silence fell and Jack immediately looked up with a blank face. Evidently, the talk had ended and Jack started to get up. Looking around, he quickly gathered his things – a notebook, empty coffee cup, ballpoint pen – and put them in his briefcase. He'd never thought he'd live to see the day he was actually carrying one of those around. Turning on his heels, he strode confidently across the conference room, heading for his office. Dumping the empty coffee cup when he reached it – it made for a great excuse to not salute every single person who walked by – he noticed a memo on his desk atop the pile of paperwork.

Sitting down, he sighed and dialed the familiar number.

" _Doctor Jackson's lab,"_ Daniel's voice sounded.

"I got a memo you called me, Space Monkey?"

" _Jack!"_

"Daniel?"

" _I've been trying to get in touch with you for days!"_

"Yeah, I heard… I only started working this week and I've been very busy, apparently they don't cut the new guy some slack," he jokingly responded.

" _Too busy to call me back?"_

He frowned to himself. "Well, I'm calling now, aren't I?"

" _Wait, did you just say you got a memo? And you actually read it? Wow, DC is really changing you, huh?"_

"Funny, Daniel, real hilarious."

" _So, how've you been?"_

"You called me, telling my secretary it was an emergency, because you wanted to know how I was doing?" Jack asked in a disbelieving tone.

" _No, I was just being polite…"_

"What's the emergency, Daniel?"

" _I was just wondering how you were settling in, how the new job is, when you think you'll drop by, what your place is like and…"_

"And?"

" _And I was curious to know if you've given my idea some more thought?"_

Jack sighed frustrated, rubbing his face with his hand. "No, Daniel, you're not joining the Atlantis Expedition."

" _But, Jack!"_

"Daniel! Why are you asking me? Shouldn't you be talking to Landry?"

" _Well, I figured you're his boss, so if you say I can go…"_ Daniel's voice trailed off.

"Nice try, Danny-boy."

" _I learned from the best,"_ Daniel replied, his smile sounding through the phone. _"What about–"_

"I'm fine Daniel, the new job is boring, I don't know when I'll be able to visit and right now my new place is still a mess."

" _Well, that's good to know… it's not what I was asking, though."_

"It wasn't?"

" _I guess it was, but not when you interrupted me. You see, I was wondering if you've seen or spoken to Sam lately?"_

"Why?" Jack drawled out his response, not wanting to think about Carter and the last time he'd seen or spoken to her.

" _I'm not sure… she seems a bit off, that's all. I thought perhaps it had something to do with you."_

Alarm bells were going off in his head and Jack swallowed hard. "Why would you think that?"

" _I don't know, it's just that it started around the time you left…"_

"Well, the last time I saw Carter was at the team night."

" _Yeah, I don't remember all that much from that night,"_ Daniel chuckled. _"I was still pretty wasted when I woke up in your guestroom… couldn't tell you how I got there for the life of me, but if I had to take a wild guess, I'd say it was Teal'c."_

"Indeed," Jack imitated their friend. "It's a good thing the Goa'uld never had beer, huh?"

Daniel snorted at his comment, having given up the goal to keep up with Jack and Sam when it came to drinking alcohol years ago.  _"Yeah, no moonshine for them,"_  he replied in a nostalgic voice.

"Yeah…" Jack's voice trailed off, like Daniel his mind was bringing up memories from years ago, their second mission to Abydos. "Look Daniel, I have to go, have a meeting with the President in a few."

" _Alright, but you'll call Sam right? See if something is wrong?"_

"I don't know, Daniel."

" _Jack,"_  he admonishingly said.

"If I can find the time. O'Neill out."

* * *

"Sam, is everything okay?"

Startled, Sam dropped the plate, shattering it on the hard floor and the towel she'd been using for the dishes. "Yeah, Pete, I'm fine. Just a bit distracted, I guess."

"Are you sure? You've been acting weird for days…"

Turning around, she gave him a weak smile. "I'm sure, just a lot of changes at work, you know?"

"How is the new general?"

"Oh, I don't know. He seems like a competent leader and General O'Neill said he was the right man for the job, so I'll have to take his word for it."

"That bad?" Pete asked, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.

"No, it's not like that. It's just a lot to take in, you know? General Landry had never heard or even dreamt about the Stargate, so he's still learning the ropes."

"Yeah, can't blame him for being freaked out," Pete smirked.

Nodding, Sam let go of him and leaned down, picking up the towel and the million little pieces of plate. She carefully threw it away; making sure no piece had been missed, before resuming her work. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pete move back towards the living room and she let out a sigh. He was right; she'd been acting weird for a few days. Not that she'd lied to him, no she really was distracted.

Her mind kept going back to that morning in General O'Neill's house, on his couch. What they'd almost done, before he stopped… taking in a deep breath, she focused her mind and she could swear she felt his hands on her stomach again. His mouth on her neck, him nuzzling her ear, kissing the freckles on her shoulder… she shuddered involuntarily and grabbed the counter to steady herself.

She knew he had been just as aroused as her by the way he was pressing against her. Moreover, how she had pressed back, on purpose. Her hand had moved of his own free will to cover his, to guide him higher to where she wanted his long fingers with their rough calluses. The way he had caressed her soft skin… how his thumb had played with her nipple… she'd loved the groan he'd let out when she rubbed her rear against his erection and at the same time she'd been worried he'd leave a mark with his teeth. She knew she would've done anything right then and there for him to keep stroking her in the loving way he had.

Sam was pretty sure there hadn't been a time in her life when she'd wanted a man more than the way she wanted the General at that moment. At  _this_  moment?  _No, get your head out of the gutter, Sam_ , she sternly told herself. This was no time to wonder what might've happened, had the General not woken up completely. It was obvious he hadn't expected her to be there with him from the way he had almost jumped away from her, yelping her name.

Well, the name he used for her anyway. He'd been dreaming while he was touching her. Just her luck, the only time a guy got her that horny with a few caresses he was asleep! God, she could just imagine what he could to her if he was awake!But waking up with her in his arms had freaked him out so much he'd fallen off the couch and she couldn't remember ever feeling more humiliated than when he was sitting there, still obviously aroused and staring at her like he'd seen a ghost.

Not wanting to know what he was thinking – what if he'd been dreaming of his girlfriend? – or what he was about to say, she just reacted with a "Sir?" of her own, not knowing what else to say. It would be better for him to think she hadn't realized what they'd been doing together… besides, it was still against the frat regs, especially now he'd taken over Homeworld Security and was entrusted with all things related to Earth's defense, among which was the SGC. Effectively making him the commanding officer of her commanding officer.

If she hadn't fucked up their friendship when she chose Pete over him, or when she accused him of trying to punish her for it, she most certainly had now, Sam had been the reason they had been staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, him on the floor – erection subsiding – and her frozen stiff on the couch. Or so she thought. She wasn't completely sure of the General's train of thought, mostly because when she'd finally come out of her stupor she was stammering, got up to grab her coat and ran out of his door.

A hell of a way to say goodbye to the best commanding officer you've ever had, right?


	20. Stressful Situations

"Well," General Landry started, "I'm not completely convinced this is worth the risk."

"Sir, with all due respect, there is good chance we'll never get a possibility like this again," Sam objected.

Hank Landry looked at her and then let his gaze wander around the table. Everyone was looking at him with a determined expression on his or her face and he sighed. "Very well, for now you can go with Master Bra'tac to gather intel… what about the Tok'ra?"

"We sent them a message, but they haven't responded yet," Daniel answered him.

"I don't think we can wait for them, SG-3 will be more than happy to watch your sixes," Colonel Reynolds responded.

Sam gave him a nod of understanding, before turning towards her new CO. "I think Colonel Reynolds is right, Sir… if my father hasn't received our communication by now or hasn't been able to convince the remnants of the Tok'ra High Council, it will probably be too late by the time he does. I'm confident that SG-1 can do this together with Master Bra'tac and SG-3 as backup, Sir."

"Indeed," Teal'c added.

Thinking about what she had just said General Landry once again became overwhelmed with his new position and knowledge. These people acted as if they were going grocery shopping or something, while they would go to a dangerous – most likely hostile – planet where a trap could be waiting for them, for the possibility of good intel about their newest enemies. Not to mention the fact that a few weeks ago Colonel Carter had casually – without the blink of an eye – informed him that her father was half alien and lived on another planet.  _Yeah, I've got the weirdest job ever_ , he thought, chuckling. "Alright Colonels, you have a go."

He watched the two colonels stand to attention, both the Jaffa bowed slightly and Dr. Jackson just stood up and smiled. Before they left, Hank cleared his throat. "Oh and you'll probably be happy to hear that the new head of Homeworld Security, General O'Neill, will be arriving here tomorrow. He'll be here to coordinate our next move," he smiled at his people, before retreating to his office.

"That's great!"

"Indeed, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c agreed with him.

Seeing her teammates look at her expectantly, Sam gave them a weak smile. "Yeah…" Turning on her heels, she quickly walked out heading for her lab.  _Great, the General is coming here…_  Distracted, she almost bumped into Dr. Lam, the new CMO, mumbling an apology she just kept walking. How could it not be weird for him to be here? It'd been a few weeks now and they hadn't talked, not since that team night…

Sighing loudly, Sam stepped into the elevator and tried thinking of what could happen. Would he act as if nothing had happened? Not that anything  _had_ actually happened, well, nothing too serious at least. Then again, if she were to ask Pete, he'd most likely consider it very serious. God, she was engaged to Pete, with the wedding next month and she more or less 'fooled around' with her CO the morning before he left and became her CO's CO…

Reaching her lab, Sam put down her folders and sat down on her stool. What was she to do? How did  _he_  expect her to act the next couple of days?

"Sam?"

Head snapping to the entrance of her lab, she saw Daniel standing there with a worried expression on his face. "What is it?"

"Are you okay? I mean, you almost ran out of the briefing room," Daniel said concerned, walking in and leaning on the table. "I thought you'd be happy."

Oh yes, she was overjoyed…"Well…"

"I mean, you wanted this mission right?"

Sam smiled as she realized they weren't talking about the same thing and she nodded. "Yes, of course. It's the best shot we have… as a matter of fact; it's probably the only one."

"Yeah, I know. It'll be nice to see Jack when we get back, huh?"

"Well, I don't know if 'nice' is the right word," Sam hesitantly started.

"Of course not, it'll be great!" Daniel enthusiastically exclaimed, beaming. "Just like old times. It's been weeks since we last saw each other, we try to call once a week but it's not the same…"

Wait a minute! The General and Daniel called each other every week? Sam wasn't even sure she had the General's new phone number! "I-I had no idea."

"He's one of my best friends Sam, we've been through a lot together and if we wouldn't call, we'd probably lose touch, you know?"

"Hmm, yes, I guess you're right," she replied. Kind of like the General and herself, apparently. "You haven't been to Washington, right?"

"No, I've been way too busy and Jack just moved into his new place. I doubt he even started unpacking, then again: who would've thought his first apartment would be that awful, huh?"

"Yeah," Sam just replied as he left. Somehow, she felt hurt the General hadn't called her. She didn't even know he already had a place, let alone that he had an apartment which sucked so much he needed a new one! On the other hand, she felt like she had no right to feel the way she did right now, since she hadn't tried contacting him either.  _What would I say?_ Yeah, he probably has the same problem, she mused. Looking up, she saw she only had a little less than ten minutes to get to the gateroom and she immediately left to gear up.

* * *

"Hank, it's good to see you again," Jack smirked, shaking his old friend's hand.

"Jack, long time no see," Hank jokingly responded.

"General O'Neill," Walter smiled at his former CO.

Turning, Jack saw Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman smiling at him. "Walter! Tell me, how is it to work for Hank?"

"Um…" Realizing there probably wasn't a good answer for that, Walter carefully responded. "It's good to see you again, Sir. Generals, I was just coming by to tell you the next scheduled check in for SG-1, Master Bra'tac and SG-3 is in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you, Chief," Hank said, making a dismissive gesture with his hand towards him.

"I take it that means no problems have arisen yet?" Jack inquired with raised eyebrows.

Sitting down, he waved a hand at Jack to do the same and Hank let out a sigh. "No, nothing so far. Everything seemed in order when they got there…"

"Huh," Jack exhaled, "Almost sounds too good to be true."

Seeing the surprised look on Landry's face, Jack quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just that that's exactly what Colonel Carter and Doctor Jackson said when they checked in."

"Figures, I mean Carter has good instincts… and Daniel, well, Daniel was probably convinced by Carter's instincts," Jack commented. "Let's just hope they're wrong for once."

Landry studied his face and noticed his fidgeting. "You're concerned? Their first two check ins went over without a hitch…"

"Yeah well, they're not home yet, are they?"

"That's not all, is it Jack?"

"It's just that I've worked with Carter for seven years in the field and the past year she got command of SG-1… I trust her instincts and apart from that, I can't remember a single time Carter has ever been wrong."

"I see," Hank answered, deep in thought. Now, Jack had gotten him concerned as well. The people at the SGC were so damn good at their jobs and he was still learning, so most of the times he relied on their expertise.  _Let's just hope this time they're wrong…_

Both generals were startled as the klaxons were sounding loudly through the corridors of the mountain and before Landry had the time to stand up Jack was already racing down the stairs for the control room.

"What have we got?" Jack immediately fell back in his old role of commander of the base and as Walter was working the computer, he looked to his side. "Ah, crap, sorry Hank. I didn't mean to overstep…"

"No, it's fine," Hank responded, still a bit stunned by Jack's speed. It was obvious to him that Jack had been used to this and despite his claims was still in perfect condition. Hank on the other hand, had been flying a desk for years before setting a foot in the SGC and in the last few weeks a situation like this had only happened twice. Probably because the Goa'uld had been defeated and there were less teams off-world in dangerous situations. Most of the teams were on archeological, scientific, or anthropological missions if not diplomatic.

"It's SG-1's IDC, Sirs," Walter softly said in an almost apologetic tone.

"Crap, they're too early."

"That doesn't have to mean anything, Jack," Landry said in a placating tone.

"Have you met Carter, Hank?"

Walter snorted at General O'Neill's comment, even if the situation was anything but funny.

"I'm pretty sure she invented the clock in a previous lifetime," Jack continued as Hank was staring dumbfounded at him. "She's punctual to the annoying."

"Ah," was all he could say. "Are we receiving a transmission?"

"No, Sirs, but–"

"Open the damn iris, Walter, before they go 'splat'," Jack interrupted them, a bit scared for what this meant. Leaning in, he pressed the button for the intercom. "Medical team to the gateroom."

"Jack, let's not overreact," Hank started, before the event horizon rippled and Master Bra'tac appeared, followed by Dr. Jackson and Teal'c who were holding up Colonel Carter. As soon as they stepped forward, Jack spurred out of the room and entered the gateroom at the same time that SG-3 came backwards through the 'gate, weapons ready.

"We need a medic!" Daniel yelled towards the control room, where he could see General Landry staring back at them. "Jack!"

Jack ran towards his friends, worried about Carter. "Close the iris!"

"We were attacked by the enemy as we made our way to the chaapa'ai," Bra'tac started reporting.

"Sam was hit, Jack."

"Daniel Jackson was the first to reach Colonel Carter as I provided a cover fire for him," Teal'c provided as Daniel helped the medics put Sam on the gurney. "She was still conscious and while Colonel Reynolds and his men fired, Daniel Jackson and I pulled her towards safety, after which she lost consciousness."

"She lost a lot of blood," Daniel told Dr. Lam, who was doing a quick onceover before bringing Sam to the infirmary.

"Okay, let's get her to the OR."

"Well, let's, eh…" Jack started, before turning towards Landry. "I'll be in the infirmary."

Hank nodded, pretending to understand, but he didn't. "Everyone get checked out at the infirmary and we'll debrief in three hours." He watched as SG-3 and the two Jaffa – Jack and Dr. Jackson had already left, following Colonel Carter on the gurney – saluted respectively bowed and left for level 21. In the time that Hank had been commanding this base, several SG-teams had dealt with injuries, but so far nothing life threatening with the exception of two marines and SG-12.

After reading most of the reports of SG-1 he had realized they were a bit different than the other teams, with them being the flagship team almost every mission had the potential of turning lethal and he had heard of their reputation – according to everyone on base they were the closest team, like family. Of course he had also heard some rumors about Jack and Colonel Carter, but he didn't believe those, especially since Colonel Carter was about to get married.

Still, every time SG-1 had come back from a mission and one of them had been injured, they all went to the infirmary and according to Carolyn they stayed there until she forced them out. Apparently, it was no different for Jack O'Neill, whether he was a Colonel or a Major General…

* * *

"I'm going to get some coffee," Daniel said before stalking off.

Jack didn't respond, he was just sitting on the floor, his head in his neck resting against the wall. It looked like his worst nightmare was about to come true, he thought. It was what he'd been afraid of ever since he'd realized his feelings for Carter: that one day he wouldn't be able to protect her. Those fears had almost kept him from accepting the promotion to General, but he'd known his luck was about to run out, because come on, how many times can you have an ancient repository downloaded in your brain?

He'd accepted the promotion, knowing he would still be on the other side of the 'gate, ready to send reinforcement when one of his people – especially Carter – needed help. Then General Hammond came along, offering him yet another promotion, only this time it would take him away from the SGC, Colorado Springs and bring him to the city he despised. Well, at least he was here when she was brought in, he mused.

The first few days at Homeworld Security, he'd been almost afraid to answer the phone whenever SG-1 was off-world, afraid it would be Hank telling him something had happened to Carter. That she'd been injured or worse, while he had been sitting on his ass, flying a desk over 1,500 miles from the SGC, let alone how many light years there would be between Earth and the backwater planet she'd be on. He knew SG-1's roster by heart and he'd been glad to come here today, while they were off-world. It would give him time to adjust and to try and figure out how to act around Carter.

 _God, Carter!_  Again, he glanced at the doors separating him from the OR and was wishing good ol' Doc Fraiser was still alive. Carolyn was a good doctor, he knew that – hell, he'd offered her the job for a reason – but she was no Janet Fraiser. Janet had been like family, she was a part of SG-1 without being an actual part. No matter how many times he had complained when he was in the infirmary, he'd always known she would do whatever it took to get them in perfect condition.

Sighing, he bumped his head against the wall. Carter had looked so pale, even for her. Daniel had told Carolyn she'd lost a lot of blood and Jack knew that was probably putting it lightly, because he had seen the wound and the paleness of her fair skin. Her BDUs had been soaked in blood, the green almost turned black. Not to mention all of Carter's blood on Daniel and Teal'c, they had probably tried to put pressure on the wound to keep it from bleeding… a lot of good it had done her. She had to get better… she just had to! They still needed to talk and it would be very selfish and unCarter-like to just give up without a fight, Jack decided.

On his way here, he'd been trying to think of what to say to her, how to start that inevitable talk or how to evade it, but this wasn't one of the solutions he had in mind, dammit! Right now, he would give anything to make her better, to just see her smile that megawatt smile again. He prayed to whatever God was really out there that the pale, in blood soaked, lifeless form of Carter wouldn't be the last image of her he'd have in his head.

"Jack?"

Startled, he looked up to see Daniel towering in front of him. "Yeah?"

Daniel grimaced and gave him a cup of coffee. "No news yet, I take it?"

"Nothing," Jack uttered before taking a sip. "I guess that's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah," Daniel sighed, before sliding down the wall and sitting down next to Jack. "God, I wish Janet was here…"

Jack just looked up, not in the least surprised Daniel was saying his previous thoughts aloud.

"Um… not that I think Doctor Lam isn't a good doctor, it's just…"

"I know, Space Monkey, I know. I wish she was here, too."

"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c greeted his friends. "Is there any word of Colonel Carter's condition?" Seeing the two men shake their heads in a resigned manner, he too sat down across from them, legs crossed.

A comfortable silence descended upon the trio and after what seemed like forever, Daniel spoke up.

"Jack, I'm so sorry–"

"Danny, I'm sure it wasn't your fault," Jack interrupted him.

"Well, I was the one that–"

"O'Neill is correct, nothing you could have done would have prevented Colonel Carter from getting injured," Teal'c stated. "I am sorry I failed you, O'Neill."

"Teal'c, I don't doubt you did everything you could to keep her safe," Jack muttered under his breath. "If anything, I–"

"Colonel Carter is a strong warrior, is she not?" Bra'tac interrupted them as he walked into the hallway. "Were you, O'Neill, not the one that convinced me of this? Yet you all feel like you should protect her."

Rubbing his hand over his face, Jack exhaled loudly. "It's not like that, Bra'tac, it's just…" His voice trailed off and he looked up to see Bra'tac observing him.

"I see," was all the old Jaffa said.

All the heads shot up as the double doors opened with a loud bang.

"General O'Neill, how is Colonel Carter?" Albert Reynolds asked, as he and his men walked into the hallway, spotting the General in his 'old' spot on the floor with Daniel next to him and Teal'c across from them, keeping watch.

"Still waiting for the Doc, Reynolds," was all Jack uttered, before resting his head on his knees.

The marines nodded and left again, leaving the members of SG-1 alone.


	21. By Her Bedside

Stepping out of the elevator, Hank Landry walked down the corridors heading to the infirmary. To be more precise, the operating room. It had been over four hours since the teams had gotten back through the 'gate and SG-1 and General O'Neill were late for the briefing. He opened the double doors as quietly as possible and just stood there, watching. Now he knew why they were all late – thankfully, SG-3 had been more than capable to debrief and SG-1 could debrief him later.

He'd met Jack years ago and they had run in to each other at several occasions, but he couldn't remember ever seeing him so defeated. It was a strange sight, seeing him – a Major General in the USAF – sitting there on the floor, still wearing his dress blues, legs outstretched in front of him, head leaned back against the wall with his eyes closed and an almost pained expression on his face. Doctor Jackson was sitting next to him, knees pulled up to his chest – making him almost look like a small child – arms wrapped around them, shoulders drooping and his forehead resting on his knees. Teal'c was sitting across from them, back straight against the wall, legs crossed, hands resting on his knees and his eyes closed in concentration – well, they were until Hank stepped into the hallway.

Carolyn or one of the nurses would have called him if there was any news about Colonel Carter, so he could only assume the three men had been sitting here, waiting, the entire time. Master Bra'tac and SG-3 had informed him that SG-1 and General O'Neill were waiting in front of the operating room the last time they had seen them and by the looks of it, they had not moved an inch since then. Clearing his throat, he made his presence known to Dr. Jackson and Jack.

"The debriefing," Daniel mumbled, as he looked up to see General Landry standing at his side.

Hank was about to respond when Jack just glared, daring him to reprimand him or say anything like what he was about to say. "Carolyn hasn't called me yet, so I assume there is no news?"

"Nope, we haven't even seen the Doc," Jack responded.

"Maybe you guys should take a break; you've been here over four hours…" Hanks voice trailed off as he noticed none of them paid any attention to his words.

However, they all jumped up in the blink of an eye as soon as the doors leading to the OR opened.

Carolyn almost bumped into General O'Neill and the two men of SG-1 as she walked out of her operating room and she halted immediately, seeing her father stand close by as well. "Gentlemen," she started.

"How's Carter?"

"What happened, how is Sam?"

"Is Colonel Carter well?"

"Carolyn?"

"Whoa, easy there. The Colonel has been shot pretty badly, the wound was quite severe, and if you and Teal'c hadn't applied pressure and stopped the bleeding a bit, it could've been a lot worse," she told Daniel. "The surgery was difficult at best, I was able to stop the bleeding, but I did have to take out a piece of her liver and for a moment it looked like I had to perform a cholecystectomie, but thankfully her gall bladder wasn't that damaged there was just a lot of bleeding that made it look bad. Although that all went well, she did lose a lot of blood and there is still a significant chance of infection. The next few hours will be very important and the sooner she stabilizes the better."

"So, she's fine?"

"She's been patched up, Sir, the next few hours will tell us more… but reviewing her medical history, I think she has a pretty good shot to pull through the night without any complications."

"And if she does, everything will be fine?" Daniel asked, to which the young Doctor nodded an affirmative.

"Yes, although she'll need some medical leave to heal properly…"

"Thanks Doc," Jack said. "Can we see her now?"

"Actually, Sir, I don't think she's up for visitors just yet, maybe tomorrow…" Her voice trailed off as she saw the three men glare at her. "Okay," she drawled out, looking for confirmation from her father, but he looked distracted. "You can see her for a few minutes, and then it's just one at the time."

Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c were already at her bedside by the time Dr. Lam had finished her sentence and were looking at Sam. She looked very frail, with all the tubes and wires sticking out of her and her pale skin looked even lighter with the white sheets and pillow. Daniel grabbed one of her hands, while Jack carefully placed the other in his hands and Teal'c stood at the foot of the bed, shielding the men – especially Jack – from prying eyes from the corridor.

* * *

"Carolyn," Hank called out to his daughter, trying to catch up with her.

Turning around, she saw her father walking towards her and Carolyn stopped in the corridor on her way to the infirmary. "Yes, Dad?" She wondered what he needed, since their relationship was still a bit strained and they'd just seen each other yesterday after Colonel Carter's surgery.

"How is Colonel Carter?"

"Well, I left right after you last night and there hadn't been any changes then, which is a good sign. I was just on my way in now, to check on her."

"Ah, that's good to hear. I was just looking for General O'Neill and the men of SG-1, but I can't find them. You haven't seen them on your way down here?" Hank kindly inquired, hoping she could tell him their whereabouts as it appeared they never left the base since yesterday.

"Last I saw of them was last night, when I had to send them out of the infirmary. Have you checked the sign in?"

He bobbed his head quickly. "Yeah, I thought that maybe they hadn't arrived yet, but it looks like they never left. I figured I come by here to check on Colonel Carter's condition before going down to the quarters."

Nodding, Carolyn led the way into the infirmary. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks as they walked up to Colonel Carter's room – she was in the observation room for her own benefit – and saw the three men sitting there. Jack O'Neill was sitting in a chair, his head resting on the bed, over Colonel Carter's arm and fast asleep. Teal'c was sitting cross-legged on a table at the foot of the bed, kelno'reeming, and keeping watch over his friends. Daniel Jackson was slumped down in his chair next to Colonel Carter's right side, his hand still holding hers.

"Good morning, General Landry, Doctor Lam," Teal'c softly spoke, his eyes open as his head turned in their direction.

Surprised, Hank looked at the Jaffa. "Have they been here all night?"

"Indeed," Teal'c answered.

"But I kicked you out of the infirmary last night, before I left," Carolyn protested.

"Indeed."

"Yeah, we kinda sneaked back in after you were gone," Jack's voice sounded muted, until he lifted his head and stretched his back, yawning. Seeing the perplexed expression on her face, Jack continued. "Don't worry about it, Doc, we have a lot of experience with that, even ol' Doc Fraiser couldn't always keep us out."

Hank chuckled at his quip, but Carolyn wasn't amused.

"General O'Neill, there is a reason I kicked you all out; the Colonel needs her rest!"

"Do not worry, Doctor Lam, we have not disturbed Colonel Carter," Teal'c assured her.

"We wanted to be here, just in case she woke up or something happened," Daniel sleepily added, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "I need coffee," he murmured, getting up and walking towards the door.

"Bring me one too, Danny," Jack yelled after him.

Inhaling deeply, Carolyn tried to keep her self-control. "I thought I was clear last night, when I said you could only stay a minute and that she wouldn't wake up anytime soon…"

"You were," Jack responded. "It's just a comforting thought, being here or lying here knowing your family is surrounding you."

"Indeed."

"Well, you all have to go now," Carolyn huffed. Seeing as the two men were about to object, she continued. "I need to examine her, in private."

Jack and Teal'c both got up, stretching their legs before walking away.

* * *

"What's going on?" Daniel inquired as soon as he saw Jack and Teal'c standing outside of Sam's room. "Did something happen?"

"No, the Doc wanted to examine Carter," Jack explained, taking the coffee cup from Daniel. He let out a satisfied sigh after taking a sip of the dark substance.

"I am confident Colonel Carter will return to full health," Teal'c stated with a slight nod.

"Yeah?"

"Indeed, Daniel Jackson. She is a strong woman and has been 'through worse' as you would say."

Jack and Daniel both nodded at Teal'c's logic and hoped he was right. Just when they both finished their coffee, Carolyn came back and she told them that everything looked good. She had put on a new bandage and examined the wound, which was looking good. Her vitals were almost back to normal and she responded well to the medication.

"When do you think she'll wake up?" Daniel asked eagerly, happy to hear that Sam was going to be all right.

"Well, normally I would say at the end of the day, but as you all know Colonel Carter responds differently to the pain meds, so it could be earlier."

"Maybe we should get her some of her things, for when she wakes up. You know how much she hates wearing that infirmary gown," Daniel said to his friends. "I mean, I take it she has to stay here for a while, right?"

"Yes, at least a week," Carolyn responded. "I have to keep a close eye on her recuperation, especially after the surgery."

Daniel had already expected that and nodded. "Maybe her hair– and a toothbrush, some socks, and shorts…" His voice trailed off and Dr. Lam and General Landry left the trio alone, assuming they would want to go back to sit with Colonel Carter.

Jack looked at Daniel, who was summing up all kinds of items. "Well, why don't you?"

"What?"

"Why don't you go and get her that stuff?"

"Me? Why don't you do it, Jack?"

"Please, I'm not going there," Jack huffed, feeling a wave of nausea coming up when merely thinking of going to Carter's place and face that cop. "Besides, it was your idea."

Glancing at Teal'c, Daniel realized he was on his own for this particular mission. He sighed and conceded. He figured Jack didn't want to go there, because there was a good chance Pete would be home this early and he would want to know everything. Now, Jack wasn't known for his patience, but he didn't seem to have any at all when it came to Sam's fiancé, which he could understand. Daniel also knew that Teal'c didn't like Pete Shanahan one bit, but had hoped the Jaffa would offer to go with him, which he didn't.

"We will remain here," Teal'c bowed slightly, indicating Daniel Jackson should partake in a solo mission.

"Fine, call me if anything changes!" he mumbled, before stalking off.

* * *

"Hello?" Daniel opened the door of Sam's house and carefully walked in, looking around the hallway for any sign of Pete. There wasn't a car in the driveway, then again, Daniel wasn't sure if Pete had a car; he must have, right? Whenever he'd meet Sam and Pete together – which wasn't too often, thankfully – they would be in Sam's silver Volvo, her behind the wheel.

"Daniel?"

Turning on his heels, Daniel saw Pete standing behind him, coming from the bedroom. "Ah… hello."

"Hi… what are you doing here? How did you get in here?"

"I have a key," Daniel said bashfully. "I wasn't sure if you'd be in, so I just decided to go in."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, well, Sam usually doesn't mind," Daniel said, waving his hand around in a vague gesture. "Anyways, I'm here to pick up some of her things."

"Wait a minute, what's going on here? Why are you picking her stuff up? I thought you weren't supposed to come back until tomorrow?"

Daniel stammered for a minute, thinking about how he was going to tell Pete this. "Um… something happened yesterday."

"What? Is Sam alright?" Pete exclaimed, almost shaking Daniel by his shoulders.

Daniel pushed Pete away from him and kept him at arm's length. "It looks like she'll be fine."

"Looks like it? What the hell happened? You said this happened yesterday? Why wasn't I told?"

"Well, you're a civilian–"

"So are you!"

"But I work with the SGC and I have the highest security clearance, it was need-to-know and–"

"I need to know! I'm her fiancé!"

"Pete, calm down!" He exclaimed, somewhat annoyed yet understanding of Pete's point of view. "You didn't need to know, because you're not in the program. There wasn't anything we could tell you, after the surgery–"

"She needed surgery? Dammit Daniel, tell me what happened!" Pete gasped, shaking the man by his shoulders.

Sighing, Daniel braced himself and took a step back, effectively getting out of the cop's reach. "Sam was shot off-world while we were on our way to check in and," he held up his hand as Pete was about to open his mouth. "Let me finish! Teal'c and I grabbed Sam and we all went back to the SGC, where they rushed Sam into surgery…"

"How is she now?" Pete asked, with tears in his eyes.

"We stayed with her last night and the doctor just examined her. She is hopeful Sam will make a full recovery, so I figured I should get her some things."

"What about Sam, is she in pain?"

"Right now she's still sedated."

Stunned, Pete's eyes grew larger. "What? She's in a coma?"

"No, no, no," Daniel soothingly said. "She lost consciousness before we went through the 'gate and after the surgery the doctor gave her pain meds which are keeping her unconscious. Dr. Lam said there's a good chance she'll wake later today."

"I want to see her," Pete said determined.

Stopping himself from rolling his eyes, Daniel inhaled deeply. "Look Pete, I can't do that, if you want to see her you have to ask permission from General Landry."

"Fine, I will, she needs me to be there."

Daniel just turned around and headed for Sam's bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Pete yelled, phone in his hand.

"I told you, I'm picking some of her stuff up for when she's awake."

"I can do that, I'll bring her some clothes as soon as the General gives me permission to visit her," Pete responded.

Now, Daniel rolled his eyes and let out a loud sigh. "Pete, how many times have you done this?" As Pete just stared at him, Daniel nodded. "Right, I've done this a million times, I know what she needs."

Pete was gritting his teeth as Daniel walked away and he quickly dialed the number of the SGC, asking to speak to General Landry. It took him a while, but eventually he was able to persuade him to allow him on base, to be with Sam in the infirmary. Just as Pete placed the receiver back in its holder, Daniel walked in the living room. "That was fast," he said, pointing towards the bag Daniel was holding.

"Yeah, I just had to grab a few extra's, Sam always keeps one of these," Daniel smiled a slim smile, holding up the bag with her 'I'm stuck in the infirmary'-clothes. "Just in case, you know."

"No, I didn't," Pete mumbled as he followed Daniel out of the house.

* * *

"O'Neill," Teal'c said as he walked back into the observation room and gave the other man a plate with food.

Jack took the plate and smiled at his friend. "Thanks Teal'c."

Teal'c just nodded at him and both of them started eating in silence, closely keeping an eye on Colonel Carter. Every now and then, a nurse walked in to check on the patient's vitals or to change an IV.

Teal'c had left an hour ago, to debrief General Landry on their mission and afterwards he had visited the commissary to retrieve the two of them some sustenance. They had been here since Colonel Carter had come out of surgery and he knew O'Neill hadn't left her side since. As he could not do anything for Colonel Carter, except be here waiting for her to wake up, he made sure O'Neill was all right.

Jack took a sip of his coffee and once again looked at Carter. Her cheeks looked to be less pale, but he wasn't sure – perhaps he had gotten used to her pale complexion over night. At least she didn't feel so cold anymore… when she'd gotten out of surgery and he and Daniel had been holding one of her hands, they had both been startled by their coldness. Another sign of her extreme blood loss, he figured. Leaning back in his chair, he caught movement from the observation deck in the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw Daniel standing there and next to him was… the  _cop_. "Looks like we've got company, Carter," Jack said softly, looking at Teal'c.

The Jaffa caught his meaning and slowly turned around to see Pete Shanahan standing in the observation deck. "Indeed," he said displeased.

* * *

"Wait, I can't be there with her?" Pete asked stunned, pointing at the observation room.

"No," Daniel said simply, turning around to join his friends.

"But why can they?"

Turning back, Daniel let out a sigh of frustration. "Because, we were all checked out in the infirmary," he started explaining. "Since there is a great risk for infection, I don't think it'd be good for you to be there." Not to mention he didn't want him there, because he was extremely annoying _,_ he finished in his mind.

"Ah, Dr. Jackson, you're back," Carolyn Lam stated as she walked in.

"Yeah, I got Sam's things," Daniel said, holding up the bag. "Oh and this is Sam's fiancé, Pete Shanahan."

Carolyn nodded to the unknown man – she hadn't been working here during the engagement party and they'd never met – before turning her attention back to Dr. Jackson. "I would suggest you rest a bit, before going back there…"

Daniel just shook his head. "No, I'm fine, I slept last night."

"Yes, in a chair. Well, suit yourself, but at least eat something. They," she said, motioning to General O'Neill and Teal'c, "just ate a few minutes ago."

"Doctor, how is Sam?" Pete asked the woman.

Shrugging, Carolyn responded. "She's stabilized, which is a good sign and I have good hope she'll make a full recovery."

"That's good to hear," he smiled. "Can I go with Daniel?"

Before Daniel could respond, Carolyn already told him she thought it would be okay…

* * *

Following their movements, Jack predicted they would be joining them soon. Not a minute later, the trio disappeared from sight and walked into the observation room.

"Nothing changed since I left?" Daniel asked as he walked in and sat back in the chair he'd spent the night in.

"Not sure, Space Monkey, I was just thinking that she feels warmer and that her complexion is returning to normal, but I could be used to it by now," Jack quickly said as he saw that Dr. Lam and Shanahan were both staring at his hand, which was holding Carter's. "Feel for yourself," he continued, casually bringing up his hands – with Carter's in it – to gesture to Daniel to feel Carter's other hand. After that, he gently put her hand back and kept his own in his lap.

"I must concur with O'Neill," Teal'c spoke softly, as if afraid to wake the Colonel.

"That's a good sign, Sir," Carolyn said, before walking over to Colonel Carter's chart. She quickly checked the vitals and eventually agreed that her complexion was returning and her body temperature was back to normal.

Pete walked over to Sam and pressed a kiss on her forehead, worried about seeing his fiancée lying helplessly in the hospital bed. Looking around the room for a chair to sit in, he only then noticed that General O'Neill was sitting next to Sam's bed. He hadn't realized it was the General who hadbeen holding her hand when he'd walked in, he'd been solely focused on Sam. "General O'Neill, aren't you supposed to be in Washington?"

"Don't you worry about that," Jack sarcastically said, waving his hand around. He watched as the cop walked around the bed to grab another chair and placed it next to Daniel, so he was sitting next to Carter's head.

"Well, I hope you didn't come all this way just for Sam," Pete continued, ignoring his comment.

Squinting at the  _cop_ , Jack tried to stay calm. "No, I was in the neighborhood."

"You live over 1,500 miles away."

"Jack was already here when we got back with Sam."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, need-to-know business and you  _don't_  need to know," Jack quipped.

A bit put off, Pete decided to change the subject. "Doctor, when do you think she'll wake up?"

"Well, normally I would say at the end of the day, but with Colonel Carter's medical history…" Her voice trailed off, while she made a vague hand gesture.

All the men, but Pete, nodded their understanding.

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"I don't have a lot of experience with this kind of thing and with her altered physiology… Her medical file reported how she responds to different medication and it indicates that–"

"Yeah," Daniel nodded, interrupting her.

"We know, Doc," Jack replied.

"Wait, I don't understand," Pete tried again.

"Colonel Carter has responded differently to medication after Jolinar of Malkshur," Teal'c explained in a placating tone.

"Yes and I'm also not sure what this blood loss will mean for her," Carolyn added, referring to the naquadah in Colonel Carter's blood, left by Jolinar.

"What is that supposed to mean? Why hasn't Sam ever told me this?" Pete asked, getting angry at being kept out of the loop.

"Your security clearance isn't high enough," Jack said with a slight smirk. "I'm actually surprised they let you in here, none of the other family members are allowed on base when someone of their family is injured."

"I talked to General Landry," Pete smugly responded. "It took some convincing, but the old guy eventually approved my request, as I had already thought."

"Yes, speaking of the  _old guy_ ," Jack started, rolling his eyes as he repeated Pete's condescending remark and turned to Carolyn, "can you tell your  _father_  that I'll speak to him after Carter's awake and ready to give the intel?"

"Yes Sir, I actually wanted to update him about Colonel Carter so I'll tell him immediately," Carolyn replied and, after a last glare at Pete, she left the room.

"Smart move, insulting the base commander and his daughter, who is treating your fiancée, at the same time," Daniel muttered, before getting up to get some coffee.

"She's General Landry's daughter?" Pete stammered.

"Indeed," Teal'c confirmed with a slight grin on his face.

Jack just scowled at the  _cop_  and ignored him. Leaning forward, he touched Carter's forehead and brushed her bangs away. "I'm thinking Carter will wake before lunch."

"I disagree," Teal'c said as he cocked his head and observed the frail form of Colonel Carter.

"Didn't the doctor say it will be hours?" Pete questioned, but no one answered him.

When Daniel returned, a silence had descended upon the room and he quietly handed Jack a coffee, before taking his seat.

* * *

After an hour or so, Jack noticed that Carter stir a little. "So, were you trying to give an old man a heart attack, Carter?"

Everyone looked up as his voice broke the silence and they all looked at him askance, but Jack ignored them and focused on Carter. Her eyelids fluttered, before she was looking at him with those big baby blues and smiled a megawatt smile. "You… are not… old, Sir," she croaked, with a dry mouth.

"It was a hell of a welcome, though," he told her with his eyebrows raised.

"Sorry, Sir," she croaked again. Focusing her sight, she looked around and gave a small smile at seeing Daniel and Teal'c standing at the foot of her bed. "SG-3? Bra'tac?"

"Everyone is fine," Jack smiled at her.

Sam returned his smile and saw the concern in his dark brown eyes. She startled as she saw movement in the corner of her eye and when she turned her head, she saw Pete with a worried expression looking back. "Pete?" She frowned, how did he get here?

"Babe, I'm so glad you're okay!" He threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly, to which Sam cried out.

"Whoa, easy there!" Doctor Lam said, as she walked into the room after Daniel called. "I don't want those stitches torn!"

Pete apologized as he sat back, still a bit scared.

Jack smiled at Carter, who was trying to keep herself from pulling up her gown to look at her wound. "Don't worry Carter, you'll still be able to wear that sweet little tank top number," he said with a wink, before he gently squeezed her hand and left, heading for General Landry's office.


	22. Threads

For the umpteenth time that day, Sam let out a sigh. She hated not doing anything and what was worse was that she wasn't able do to anything at all except for half sitting on the couch. Or lying on her side on the bed. Lying back wasn't possible, because that stretched her stitches and wasn't good for her recovery, but at the same time she wasn't able to sit straight up. In her current position, it was hard to amuse herself.

Sure, she could read a bit, but the only things she found interesting were scientific magazines and sitting the way she did, it wasn't possible to highlight all the mistakes which took all the fun out of it and made it just annoying and frustrating. She had tried reading a few books, but her attention span was decreasing by the minute, the only thing that could hold her focus was science or something else fascinating. Literature wasn't fascinating, novels were fun – and a bit embarrassing for a soldier – to read, but not when you can't sit comfy. Gah, she hated this!

She wasn't allowed on base because she had to recover but now she was slowly going stir crazy! Sam was pretty sure her mind was slowly melting from boredom when she found herself contemplating blackmailing General Landry to letting her on base opposed to making her stay at home and going insane…

Now she was thirsty, but getting up was rather painful – especially since it had been hours since she took her meds and she needed to take new pain medication – and by the time she would finally reach the kitchen, she'd be so tired that all she wanted to do was sleep…

"Babe, is something wrong?" Pete asked concerned, seeing her expression.

"I'm bored and thirsty," Sam replied grumpily.

He immediately walked to the kitchen, got her a cup of tea and sat back down on the couch next to her.

As he sat down, the couch shifted under his weight and Sam felt a painful jab in her side. Letting out a hiss, her hands grabbed her healing wound and she scrunched up her face, trying to repress the wave of pain. "Oh and I need my pain meds." The moment he stood to grab them, another jab went through her side and she clenched her jaw. "Don't forget the water," she yelled, not wanting to swallow the pills dry. "You got me tea?" She asked incredulous, looking into her cup. "What's wrong with coffee?"

"The doctor said it was best not to drink coffee," he responded as he gave her a glass of water and her pill bottle.

"They always say that," she rolled her eyes, even more annoyed now than before. She grabbed two of the pills and swallowed them with a gulp of water.

Pete grabbed the pill bottle and he was shocked when he saw the prescription. "Sam! Have you seen what you're taking?"

Giving him a sideways glance, she cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, I always have these, why?"

"Why? This is enough to knock out a rhino, twice! And I'm talking about one pill!"

Sam just shrugged, not understanding why he was making such a big deal out of it. Ever since Jolinar, normal medication wore off too soon and Janet had been very careful whenever prescribing her something. Now, eight years later, she needed two pills instead of one. "I know; I have a very high threshold."

"Sam, tell me the truth: do you have a drug problem?" Pete cautiously asked, the cop in him surfacing.

"What? No! Like I said, my threshold is quite high, don't worry about it, I've been taking these for years."

He gasped, staring at her in shock. "Are you addicted?"

"No Pete, I'm not addicted. I can function fine without them when I'm  _not_  injured. As you may have noticed, I  _am_  injured right now and this is my prescription." Sam sighed, feeling tired again. "I want to take a nap, help me up?"

Relenting, Pete helped her to the bed and tucked her in. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?"

"I'll be fine," Sam rolled her eyes. "I wish the General was here," she pouted.

"What, why?" Pete asked incredulous.

"Well, at least General O'Neill knew I'd go stir crazy not being allowed to work and he would let me on base for a few hours, General Landry on the other hand seems to think I'm some kind of porcelain doll," she huffed.

"Oh," was all Pete said, secretly happy that General Landry made sure she would have the time to heal at home, and gave her a kiss. "I have to go; my shift starts in half an hour." He got up, grabbed his coat, and yelled his goodbye, before she heard the door slam.

Lying in bed, on her side as not to irritate the wound, the sleep wouldn't come and Sam started thinking again. She had wanted to talk to the General after she woke up. She had known before they left for the mission that she – they – needed to talk and it had been on her mind the entire time. She'd been a bit distracted by all the possible scenarios that the second it took her to react to the attack, was a second lost as she was hit. It had been entirely her fault and she had told Daniel and Teal'c as much – without telling them  _why_  she was distracted – because they blamed themselves.

In a way she had been surprised to hear the General talking when she came to – she didn't think anyone had noticed her stir, but of course he had – and on the other hand she would've been… disappointed? If he hadn't been there. That lame joke he made actually made her smile, because it was so familiar, like they'd gone back in time – two or maybe three years – and their friendship was still intact. This, all of this, hadn't happened, she hadn't dated Pete and Jack O'Neill still loved her… and she loved him… Of course, they hadn't traveled back in time and she'd seen Daniel and Teal'c standing there, relieved to see she was fine. Pete was on her other side and for a moment she thought she had another concussion and was hallucinating again, like that time on the Prometheus – which had convinced her to actually get a life and forget Jack O'Neill – but she wasn't. Doctor Lam – not Janet – was running towards her as Pete had hugged her tightly, making her wound bleed again…

Now, she was too late; General O'Neill had left two days ago, he had checked up on her a few times when she'd been in the infirmary for a week and then he had to go back to Washington. Every time he came by, someone else was either with him or with her and she was thinking that perhaps he had made sure of that… either way, they never had the time to talk – at least not about 'the couch'-incident – and he never stayed long, so his visits were more comforting than awkward. Still, there was something different about their relationship;  _that_  she knew for sure. It was especially noticeable when Pete was with her, for which she couldn't blame the General. The tension may have – temporarily? – been lifted, but the strain on their relationship, friendship, was still there….

* * *

"Daniel!" Jacob greeted as he walked down the ramp, looking around he saw Teal'c coming up behind the other man. "Teal'c!"

"Jacob, Selmak, it's good seeing you again," Daniel responded, outstretching his hand.

"Where's Sammie?"

"Um…"

"Colonel Carter was injured and is recovering at home," Teal'c explained.

Stunned, Jacob looked up to the control room. "At home?" Surprised his daughter would actually stay away, he scanned the personnel upstairs, looking for Jack O'Neill. "Where's Jack?"

Scrunching up his nose, Daniel thought for a minute. "Well, Jack is in DC, he was promoted – again."

"Really? And here I was surprised someone was actually crazy enough to promote him to general," Jacob chuckled. "Wait a minute, where could they have promoted him to? The only thing suitable for a man of his caliber and experience would be Homeworld Security…"

"Indeed."

Shocked, Jacob immediately thought of his old friend. "Did something happen to George?"

"No, no, no," Daniel quickly said. "General Hammond finally retired and he and the President asked Jack to take over."

"So, who's running this base now? Please don't tell me it's an asshole like Bauer," Jacob muttered, not having noticed Hank Landry's arrival to the gateroom.

"That would be me," Landry chuckled. "Major General Hank Landry."

Accepting the man's hand, Jacob nodded. "It's a pleasure, retired Major General Jacob Carter, host to the Tok'ra Selmak."

"Quite a mouthful," Hank joked, making both men laugh.

Looking at the CO of the SGC, Jacob continued. "How is Sammie really? I mean, for her to not be on base, it's got to be pretty severe…"

"Colonel Carter is healing nicely," Hank responded, before Daniel or Teal'c could open their mouth. "I know she has the reputation of a workaholic, so I banned her from base and sent her home to recover."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up. "Are you serious?" Chuckling a bit, he turned to look the man square in the eye. "You do know what that means, right?"

Now it was Hank's turn to raise his brows, and he let out a surprised "No?" looking at the remainder of SG-1.

"Yeah, we know," Daniel softly said.

"Colonel Carter will be most unpleased," Teal'c responded.

"She'll be bored out of her skull and drive everyone crazy once she's back, there's actually a reason Jack and George allowed her on base during recovery," Jacob chuckled again. "Not that it's not good to meet you, General Landry, but I was actually here to see Jack or Sammie."

"Well, you could go to her place and call Jack?" Daniel suggested.

"Is she still with that  _cop_?"

"Indeed, the wedding will be next month."

Huffing, Jacob left, still not able to believe his daughter would actually marry such a loser when she could do so much better. "Okay, I'll catch you boys later," he yelled over his shoulder, before going over to his daughter.

"Sammie?" Jacob walked into the house and put his key back into his pocket. Carefully looking around, he noticed the signs of his daughter's boredom – all kinds of books were scattered on the coffee table and the living room was quite a mess to her standards – and picked up some of the glasses and plates to take them back to the kitchen. Still not seeing a sign of Sam herself, he walked down the hall and softly knocked on her bedroom door. "Sam?"

Not getting a response, Jacob cautiously opened the door and he saw her huddled in her blanket. "Sam?" He touched her shoulder after walking in and quickly took a step back as her hand came up to swat his away.

"Hmm?" Slowly opening her eyes, Sam realized she had fallen asleep and that someone had woken her up. Looking over her shoulder, she saw her father smiling at her. "Dad?"

"Yeah, I came by to see how you were doing. What happened?"

Waving her hand, she told him to help her up and then proceeded to inform him about the intel she had gathered on their latest mission. Telling him about the message they had sent to the Tok'ra gave Jacob a sense of guilt, thinking he could've prevented his little girl from getting hurt if he had heard the message earlier. She quickly reassured him that it was her own fault, that she had been distracted, which earned her a scolding from him. "Dad!"

"I'm sorry, it's just that things could've been a lot worse and all because you weren't paying attention. Don't tell me you were thinking about the flowers or cake for your wedding?"

She let out a small chuckle at his comment and got out of bed. "No Dad, I wasn't thinking about details for the wedding. Almost everything has been taken care of, so…"

"So, you're really going through with this?" He asked carefully, sitting down on the couch.

Sam sat down next to him and looked at him, annoyance clearly showing on her face. "Yes Dad, I'm going to marry Pete. I thought you said you would try to accept it. It is  _my_  life after all."

"I know, I know," Jacob said, shrugging. "I guess I was hoping you'd see your mistake."

"It's not a mistake, Dad," Sam sternly said, not wanting to think about her own doubts that had arisen lately.

"Are you happy, Sammie?"

Swallowing hard, Sam cocked her head to take a good look at him. "I am, why? Is something wrong?" Noticing his surprise, she continued. "You know, you don't look so good, is everything all right?"

"You're telling me I don't look good? I'm not the one with a bruised face or a bandaged abdomen," he jokingly tried to evade her questions.

Touching her face, Sam grimaced. "Yeah, rough landing, apparently. Why are you really here, Dad?"

Jacob immediately recognized the stubborn look on his daughter's face, he had seen it too many times when she was in her teens and knew he couldn't fool her for a minute. "I have to tell you something, Sammie."

"What is it?" Sam asked cautiously, scared to know the answer.

Sighing, Jacob continued. "Selmak is sick, very sick. She's dying."

"Oh my God, I'm sorry!"

"It's okay, she's okay. She led a pretty full life."

She leaned over to squeeze his knee. "I didn't live with Jolinar that long, but I think I have some idea of what it's like."

"Well, this is a little different, Sam. As you know, when a Tok'ra symbiote dies, they can prevent their host from dying as Jolinar did with you. The problem is that last selfless act requires a certain amount of energy and a conscious effort."

"What are you saying?" She asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"By all rights, Selmak should've been dead weeks ago. I wouldn't let her go. I thought we needed her – that I needed her to help you stop the Replicators."

"Dad?"

Clearing his throat, he raised his eyes to look into hers. "She hung on as long as she could, got worse after we activated the weapon on Dakara and she slipped into a coma after the engagement party…"

"You've known all this time since then?" she asked in a tight voice.

"I didn't want to spoil your wedding. I thought we could make it."

Sam stared at him, her eyes filling with tears and she repressed a sob. "We"?

"She's barely alive. I'm going to die with her, Sam."

This time Sam couldn't hold her sob in and she started crying, her body shaking as the tears fell down and stained her sweat pants. She brought her hands up to brush the tears away, but they kept flowing down her cheeks. The sobs wrenching through her injured body, causing painful stabs at her stitches and she grabbed her side.

Jacob scooted over to her and engulfed her in his arms, trying to comfort her while not hurting her. "I hate to do this to you, Sam, but I should've been dead six years ago. Since then, I've been all over the galaxy. I've done things most men never dream of."

Gently unwrapping herself from her father's arms, Sam pulled back a bit, looking at him. "Where have I heard that before?"

"I just want to know you're going to be happy, Sam," he gave her a small smile.

"I am, Dad."

"Don't let rules stand in your way," he tried.

Pulling away further, she looked at him in askance. "What are you talking about?"

Noticing the puzzled expression on her face, Jacob tried again, putting his hands on her shoulder for emphasis. "You joined the Air Force because of me."

"I love my job."

He gently stroked her cheek. "Hmm… you can still have everything you want."

"I do, Dad."

Jacob let out a deep sigh, frustrated that she refused to see what was so plain in sight.

"Really," Sam said as she grabbed his hand and gave him a small smile. She turned around as she heard a car pull up and within minutes the door opened.

"Honey, I'm home," Pete exclaimed as he walked into the house. "Hey babe," he bent down to press a kiss on her crown and nodded at the General. "General Carter, good to see you again."

"Detective," Jacob nodded as a greeting. "I should go; I still want to talk to Jack while I'm on Earth."

"Wait, Dad! You can't just leave like this!"

"I'll be here for a few more days, Sammie. Don't worry. After that, I'll be going to the Tok'ra, one way or another," he softly spoke. Again, he stroked her tearstained cheek, before pressing a kiss on her forehead and getting up. "I hope I'll be able to say goodbye to Mark and his family."

Tears were beginning to form in her eyes anew as she watched her father walk out the door. Biting her lower lip, she tried to hold them back, be the strong soldier she used to be… which seemed like months ago. Had she been so emotional the last few weeks? She couldn't remember when she stopped becoming Colonel Carter and started acting as emotional Samantha Carter…

"What's wrong, babe?" Pete sat down at the spot her father had just vacated and took her hands in his. "Did something happen?"

"My father… Selmak is dying and my father will die with her."

"Oh, honey I'm so sorry," for the second time in an hour she was engulfed in a man's arms.

"Actually, I'm fine. Good even, strange as that sounds. I thought I had lost him years ago. Since then, we've been closer than we ever were in my whole life. In a way, Selmak gave me the father I never thought I'd know."

Not knowing what to say, Pete just hugged her closer.

* * *

" _Carter,"_  Sam's voice was coming through five by five.

"Carter… I just heard, are you okay?" Jack asked, knowing he didn't have to tell her how sorry he was, he knew she knew.

" _Sir!"_

"Yeah, Dad called me and he told me…"

" _I thought I lost him years ago, Sir. Since then, we've been closer than we ever were. In a way, Selmak gave me the father I never thought I'd know…"_

"I know, Carter. But how are  _you_  doing?"

" _Actually, I'm fine, good even."_

"It's okay to feel hurt, you know," Jack said, trying to make sure she really was all right.

" _I know, Sir."_

"Just checkin'," he smiled at the other end, hearing the tone of her voice. "Dad called me yesterday, and said he was going over to Mark today?"

" _Yeah, he told me… Sir?"_

"What is it, Carter?"

" _Never mind, Sir,"_  Sam stated, unsure if it was the right time to start this conversation.

"Are you sure?"

" _I am,"_  she replied, she wasn't going to start this, not now.  _"Thank you, Sir."_

"For what?"

" _Being there for me…"_

"Always," Jack said in an almost whispering tone of voice. He found himself wishing he could be there with her, to just hold her and take the pain away from her. At least soften it a bit. However, that wasn't his job anymore, if it ever had been…

Sam smiled at her end; maybe she hadn't completely ruined their friendship? Even if she hadn't, could she make it up to the General? Did she want to? Why did her father's words make her doubt all her earlier decisions?


	23. Beaming In

"Sam?"

Sam looked over the back of the couch to see Pete shrug off his coat. "On the couch," she replied, trying to sit up a bit more.

Pete walked over to her and kissed her. "How are you? General," he nodded at Jacob.

"Better," she smiled. She was actually feeling better than before, although her body was still hurting. Being in her line of work, Sam had gotten injured many times before and had quickly adapted to a higher pain threshold. Especially after blending with Jolinar of Malkshur and her passing. Janet had told Sam many times her physiology had been changed after that, her hormone levels all screwed up. However, that didn't mean she couldn't feel pain and especially when she was forced to 'take it easy' she was very aware of said pain.

"Good," Pete replied, sitting across from her and Jacob. "I've been thinking and–"

A white, bright light appeared in front of them and Pete jumped up from the couch screaming. Sam blinked a few times, before the spots in her eyesight were gone and she smiled at her alien friend.

"Thor!"

"Colonel Carter, I am most pleased to see you again," Thor stated, blinking his large eyes at her. "Are you not well?" He asked as he saw her strained movements.

"Oh, it's nothing," she assured him, smiling.

"Ah, honey?" Pete asked, shyly looking at Thor, throwing him an askant look every now and then.

"Right… Um, Thor, this is Pete Shanahan, my fiancé. Pete this is Thor the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet."

Pete just stared at the gray alien, not knowing how to act since Thor was giving him an appraising look.

"Jacob Carter, I was saddened to hear of your predicament," Thor said, turning towards Jacob.

Surprised, Jacob's eyebrows rose and he spoke. "You heard already?"

"Indeed, O'Neill has informed me," he nodded. "He is not here?"

Sam frowned and cocked her head slightly. "No, why would you think that?"

"He was the one who contacted me to inform me of Jacob Carter and Selmak's condition. I scanned the house for life signs before I beamed myself in and recognized your naquadah immediately. I assumed O'Neill was the third human, clearly he was not."

"It's okay, Thor, Pete knows about the SGC."

Thor walked over to Pete to take a better look at him. With a speed that surprised everyone he gathered a scanner and scanned Pete's sitting form, before the man could move. "Hmm…"

"What the hell was that?" Pete yelped.

Sam cautiously asked Thor why he was scanning Pete and Thor just blinked at her. "May I take a sample of your blood?" He asked, before pressing the scanner against Pete's arm.

"What, why?" Pete asked scared, scooting back in his comfy chair.

"Thor? What are you doing? Why are you even here?"

The little alien was pressing some of the buttons on his scanner, before looking up at Colonel Carter. "He is your mate?"

Blushing from his choice of words, Sam simply nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"That is most unfortunate."

"What?" Sam and Pete both exclaimed.

Thor looked at both of them, seemingly surprised by their reaction. "It is a most unfavorable combination."

Stunned, Pete and Sam looked at each other, trying to figure out what he was saying.

"… For their offspring, you mean?" Jacob suggested, chuckling inwardly but trying to keep a straight face.

"You are correct," the Asgard responded.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Pete asked, insulted by the alien he'd just met – and already had determined he didn't like. "You just come in here, talking about life signs and Nicaragua or something and poke and prod me, so you can tell us Sam and I are an unfavorable combination?"

Blinking his large, black eyes, Thor slowly nodded his head.

"Oh and I guess you would know exactly what  _would_ be a favorable combination?" He sarcastically continued.

"I had hoped that Colonel Carter and O'Neill would engage in procreation and–"

"What?" Pete reacted.

"Holy Hannah, Thor!" Sam scolded her alien friend, embarrassed by the turn of events.

Jacob on the other was now laughing aloud. "I think this is funny!"

"You're saying that General O'Neill would be a better 'mate'?" Pete asked sarcastically. "Because I don't see it," he huffed.

"The Asgard High Council has had high hopes and this is not the first time we have mentioned it," Thor explained, unaware of the implications of his words.

This time Sam yelled a "Thor!" in a very warning tone, before covering her face with her hands. "General O'Neill and I already explained that such a thing isn't possible…"

"You knew this?" Turning to her, Pete looked at her with a shocked expression on his face. "Sam?"

"It is different for them, they only look at the genetic outcome, they don't really do feelings," Sam tried to explain.

"Indeed, O'Neill is an important step forward for the human race with his genetic makeup, especially his 'Ancient Gene.' Combined with Colonel Carter's intellect and the naquadah and protein marker left by the Tok'ra Jolinar, it could be a step closer towards the future of humans and a solution to our cloning problem."

Gaping, Pete lost the ability to speak for a few moments, still in a stupor from the explanation. He didn't understand half of what the alien was saying, but he knew it wasn't too flattering for him.

"Well, that's not going to happen, Thor," Sam commented through gritted teeth. "Why are you really here?"

"O'Neill has asked me to see if I can help Jacob Carter and his symbiote."

"You can do that?" Jacob asked, suddenly serious again.

"I am unsure, but O'Neill suggested something he called 'no harm, no foul?' He requested I would try and considering you and your symbiote were willing to give your lives to rid the galaxies of the Replicators, I agreed. You have shown the Asgard that the Tok'ra are not the same as the Goa'uld."

"So, what you're saying is that you owe us?" Jacob inquired, smiling a bit at the prospect of being healed.

"We do," Thor simply stated, before he and Jacob were beamed away again.

"Well, that was awkward," Pete said after a few minutes of silence.

"Ya think?"

"Sam…"

Holding up her hand, she stopped him from saying anything else. "Pete, he really meant well, they just have a different view of things. The Asgard have been cloning themselves for – literally – ages and they don't really know concepts like love, marriage and children," she tried to defend her little gray alien friend. "General O'Neill, then Colonel, already explained to them it wasn't going to happen years ago, when they first suggested it."

"Okay," he drawled out, still looking a little befuddled. "And what was he talking about with you and someone named Jolinar who left you things?"

"Yeah, that's a long story…" Sam hesitantly started, knowing she really needed to explain this to him, especially if they were getting married and would have children later on. She was in for a long night…

* * *

As Jacob's eyes adjusted to the light in the briefing room, he heard a few gasps. Looking around, he noticed several people staring at him. He smiled at General Landry and Daniel Jackson, who were sitting at the large table. Daniel hardly looked surprised – he was probably used to it by now – but General Landry looked downright frightened, but soon adjusted to slightly startled. "Gentlemen."

"General Carter," Hank muttered under his breath.

"Jacob," Daniel smiled back at him. "So… how did you get here? Besides from the obvious beam, of course. I thought you left the base yesterday to go over at Sam's?"

"I was," Jacob chuckled at the memory of the day before. He was still wondering whether Thor was as innocent as he claimed to be, because he had seemed to enjoy riling up Sammie's fiancé. "While I was there, Thor beamed in. Apparently, Jack had contacted him and asked for a favor. The favor being–"

"You're healed!" Daniel exclaimed, getting up and smiling broadly. As Jacob nodded at him, Daniel hugged the man from joy. "Wow, that's great! I had no idea they could do that! What about Selmak?"

"Never felt better," Jacob replied. "She feels like she's one thousand again!"

"Yes, I can imagine," Hank dryly responded. "Does Colonel Carter know?"

"Thor sent a hologram of me to her, after which he sent me back. I have to go back to the Tok'ra for the moment, the Asgard High Council asked me to deliver a message of sorts."

"Well, I'm glad you're going to be okay! Sam must be thrilled," Daniel said, before clapping Jacob on the back.

"We both are… She's going to help me figure out how I'm going to explain this to Mark," Jacob pensively mentioned. "I just went to see him and his family three days ago and told them the cancer was back and there wasn't anything they could do for me…"

"Good point."

"With a mind like hers, I'm sure she can think of something," Hank chuckled, before getting up. He excused himself from the conversation he and Daniel had been having about a new dig off-world and walked the General down to the control room. Ready to send him to another planet of his choice… Damn, his life was strange if he was starting to think of this as 'routine'.

* * *

Waking up from her short nap, Sam noticed the smell of food. Realizing she was hungry, she carefully got up from her uncomfortable position. She padded to the kitchen and saw Pete standing behind the furnace, cooking her favorite meal.

"How much longer until it's ready?"

Startled, Pete jumped a bit and then quickly turned around. "You know, you shouldn't sneak up to people like that."

Smiling, she repeated her question.

"Little less than five minutes, you can set the table if you think you can handle it," he said, gesturing to her wound.

"I'm fine," Sam replied, proving her point by setting the table.

As they both sat down for dinner, Pete decided this was the right time.

"Are you?"

"Am I what?" Sam asked confused as they had been eating in silence for a few minutes.

"Fine, are you fine?"

"Yes, I am. Pete, where is this coming from?"

Wiping his mouth, Pete shrugged. "I hate seeing you so vulnerable."

Stunned, Sam didn't know what to say, so she just stared at him.

"When Daniel told me you were hurt, I thought I'd have a heart attack. Then seeing you lie there in the infirmary, all pale and fragile. It took ten years of my life, I'm sure of it," Pete stated unsure. "I don't want to lose you."

"What are you talking about?"

"It was so close, you could've been killed, Sam!"

"It's my job, Pete. Besides, this isn't the first time, you know. I've been through a lot worse," she tried downplaying the incident.

"That's what scares me!" Pete replied, concern written all over his face. "When your father was here, telling you he was going to die you felt horrible."

"Of course I did, he's my father!"

"What if it were our kids, Sam? Or me? Did you ever think of that?"

Leaning back in her chair, Sam gave him a scrutinizing look. "Don't you think I've considered that? I lost my mother when I was in my teens, I know how that feels."

"That's my point, honey," Pete softly said, taking her hand in his. "I love you; I don't want to lose you. We have a house; we're getting married and maybe even a dog before we start our own family…"

Fidgeting uncomfortably in her chair, Sam sighed and relented. "I know, maybe you're right…"

"Maybe you should take it easy," he started the conversation that would take hours.


	24. Changes

Jack sat behind his desk, leaning over the paperwork in front of him. It was a file with forms submitted by a Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, PhD. He happened to know said Colonel and was wondering what he should do. Daniel had told him the other day about Carter’s move and it appeared that she had already moved into her – their – new house. She had also updated her contact list, adding her fiancé. Next to that form, was lying a request to leave SG-1, effective immediately. Jack couldn’t think of an excuse to delay processing her paperwork, but he found it hard to accept that she would step down as commander of the flagship team.

He’d instinctively known she was going to make it in the USAF the moment they’d met… well, maybe not that first day, but definitely after the first few missions. She’d been the best 2IC he’d ever worked with and the powers that be had often requested she’d get her own team, but she always stayed on SG-1. He never wanted to hold her back, but she had admitted she wasn’t ready for another team and when he’d been promoted to Brigadier General he’d known this was her time. Carter had done a hell of a job commanding SG-1 and Jack knew it. Which was one of the reasons he didn’t want her to step down. Was it possible for him to persuade her otherwise?

The problem now was that she was on medical leave and would be for at least two weeks, after which she had a few days of personal leave for the preparations of her damn wedding and the wedding itself. If she hadn’t been on medical leave, it wouldn’t be too hard to keep her on for a little while – maybe even lose the paperwork, he thought smirking – since she would actually have missions and such. Right now, she was sitting at home – her new home apparently, the one the cop had bought her as a ‘surprise’ – not doing anything besides going stir crazy, if he knew his Carter.

Daniel had called him the other day and had gently informed him of Carter’s move, which was actually to be expected, since they had the house and the wedding was next month. Still, it felt like a kick to his gut and he didn’t like it one bit. _She is happy, that is all that matters_ , Jack sternly told himself. That really was all he wanted for her, although he would’ve preferred her to be happy with him and not that _cop_. Yeah, he definitely liked his own plan better… but she didn’t, at least not when they’d had their _talk_. Well, maybe this was all for the better with everything going on.

Maybe he should just call her… he hadn’t seen or spoken to her since she was recovering in the infirmary and they hadn’t actually talked then. At least not about what they should have been talking about. Say, like that morning after the barbecue. He had been so shocked to realize it was really Carter in his arms and not just some dream, that he didn’t know what to say. A quip wouldn’t have cut it and would make it look like he didn’t care, or so he thought. From the little yelp she had let out on the couch, he was pretty sure she hadn’t expected him to be there either. He didn’t want to know if she had been dreaming or just assumed it was her fiancé – the thought of the two of them together was too much – so he just sat there, frozen to the ground. He had expected her to say or do something – besides running out of his house without saying a word. On the other hand, was it fair to expect her to say or do something when he wasn’t capable of it either? Then again, she was supposed to be the smart one, the one with the huge honking brain…

Therefore, it sufficed to say they had some unresolved issues. Neither of them had taken a chance to bring up the subject, but that could have something to do with the fact there seemed to be someone around them the entire time she was in the infirmary. _Perhaps you should’ve run after her that morning or call her afterwards, instead of waiting until you ran into one another_ , a little voice berated him. Oy! What would he do now? Call her and just ignore that ‘incident,’ only mention her new place and try to persuade her to stay on as SG-1’s commander? What the hell did she want to do, anyway? Play with doohickeys the entire day in her lab at the SGC? Because there wasn’t a transfer form or anything, not that he wanted her to transfer, especially not to Area 51 – that would be a low blow since he had suggested it in their talk during the quarantine a few months ago, as it was one of few ways they could be together without one of them leaving the USAF. At least, it used to be, before he was promoted again and was now the head of HWS.

Making up his mind, Jack reached over for the phone and glanced back at the paperwork. A good thing her new phone number was on it, he thought before dialing it. She’d moved earlier this week and yet he hadn’t received a new address or phone number, he realized. Did he even give his to her?

* * *

 

“Carter,” Sam picked up their new phone. It was a shiny black one, modern look. She hadn’t decided yet if she liked it or not, but it went with the furniture, she guessed. Not that she cared about that kind of stuff, but when you’re sitting at home doing nothing at all, one notices such small things.

“ _Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, PhD?”_

“Sir?” Sam tried, thinking she recognized General O’Neill’s voice but not knowing why he would ask her that.

_“Carter?”_

“Hi Sir,” she smiled and relaxed, knowing she was right.

_“What are you up to?”_

“Nothing really, Sir,” she shrugged, mindful of her injury.

 _“Then I must have the wrong Samantha Carter,”_ he joked. _“Because the Carter I know, doesn’t do nothing, not ever!”_

“I know, Sir,” she grumpily replied. “I’ve been cooped up for days, General Landry won’t allow me on base until I’m properly healed or unless I need a checkup, during which he has SFs following me to make sure I don’t make a beeline to my lab.” She could swear he was smirking on the other end, which only pissed her off more.

 _“So, nothing huh? I’ll bet even fishing sounds good now?”_ He teased her.

“Actually, Sir, I was just thinking how our new phone went with the furniture. You see, it’s a shiny black one, modern look. Not the plastic kind, because that looks cheap…” Her voice trailed off.

_“Ack! Carter, what did I tell you?”_

“Um?”

_“No techno-babble, giggling, or interior design, Colonel.”_

“With all due respect, Sir, you never actually ordered me to _not_ talk about interior design.”

_“Huh, must’ve been Teal’c then. It goes for you as well, Carter.”_

“Yes Sir,” she giggled, involuntarily. Sam had really tried to keep it in, knowing the General would probably think she did it on purpose but couldn’t help the small giggle that left her mouth.

_“What did I just say, Colonel? Are you disobeying a direct order?”_

She could hear the mock disbelief in his voice, only making her giggle more. She had to grab her side, to make sure the giggles wouldn’t rip her sutures even if they had been healing well. “Oh,” she gasped, as she felt a strong jab in her side.

* * *

 

Jack was smirking on the other end of the line; even if he always ‘ordered’ her not to giggle it was still the most beautiful sound in his world. That was actually the reason she wasn’t allowed to giggle, because it did funny things to his insides and he couldn’t have that. Especially not from his former 2IC, who is now engaged to be married…

“Carter?” He asked concerned as he heard her gasp.

_“I’m fine, Sir, just a little jab.”_

“I believe they call that karma, Carter, that’s what you get for giggling,” he grinned as he could almost see the smile forming on those beautiful lips.

_“Yes Sir.”_

Deciding it was time to get to the point as he heard her mocking tone, he took a deep breath. “So, Carter, I hear you’ve moved?”

_“Um… yes Sir.”_

Was there doubt in her voice? Well, if she didn’t want him to know, she shouldn’t have sent him that damn paperwork! Carter was the smartest person on this planet, a national treasure, so she must’ve known the paperwork would eventually end up on his desk. Perhaps she hadn’t thought he would call her about it, or even mention it in conversation? Well, if their last awkward moment was anything to go by, she was probably correct in that assumption, Jack thought. However, he couldn’t let her give up SG-1 as easily as she had given up on them – he knew it wasn’t fair to think that, but deep down that was what it felt like.

“The cop finally got the kitchen yellow?” He asked, sarcasm dominating his tone.

 _“Actually, it’s white with a bit of wood and black here and there,”_ she replied softly.

“I thought you wanted it yellow?”

_“Not really, Sir, I like it the way it is, I guess…”_

“Oh,” he just responded.

_“I would’ve sent you a card, Sir, but I don’t think you gave me your address.”_

Her voice sounded a bit small, and Jack felt like a bastard for not giving it to her. Why hadn’t he? She probably thought he’d done it on purpose, which he didn’t. Did he? Perhaps his subconscious wanted her to feel hurt and disappointed for him not telling her?

“Yeah, I just thought the same thing when I got your paperwork,” he answered lamely. “Do you have a pen and paper?”

He waited for her to grab it, he could hear her move around a bit through the phone, and as she came back, they swapped addresses and phone numbers.

_“Was that why you called, Sir?”_

Jack couldn’t miss the disappointment in her tone and he shook his head, even if she couldn’t see him. “No, that form brought some friends…”

_“Oh.”_

“Yes, ‘oh’ Carter. What is this about you stepping down?” He couldn’t help his stern CO/General-voice and he thought he could actually hear her cringe.

_“Well, um… I told you I was thinking about, didn’t I?”_

“Yes, you did, I just figured you would think about it and think some more… then you would realize what an insane idea that was and we would call it a momentary lapse in judgment and never speak of it again,” he sighed, not able to keep the hint of disappointment out of his voice.

_“Sir, I did think about it, long and hard. But… Pete and I decided it was best for me to step down…”_

Hearing her explanation, Jack closed his eyes and leaned his forehead in his hand. _They had both decided it was best for her to step down…_ What kind of crap was that? Just because she was getting married, she can’t command the flagship team of Earth’s first line of defense? He couldn’t believe his ears; she was giving up her dream job for that _cop_? “Carter… are you sure about this? He isn’t pressuring you or anything, is he?” He could feel his anger rising and tried to stay calm; he couldn’t afford losing his temper right now.

 _“He isn’t pressuring me to do anything, Sir. It’s just… we talked the other night and we both agreed that we needed to make some compromises_ – _”_

“You’re calling this a _compromise_?”

 _“Please, let me finish, Sir_ ,” he could hear her breath in deeply before continuing. _“I think he’s right. I lost my mom when I was just a kid, I don’t want that for my child…”_

Her voice trailed off, the buzzing in Jack’s ears too loud to hear the words. He could feel the life being sucked out of him by her words… A child? Was she pregnant? Already?He saw his reflection in the window; his face had turned ashen by the shock her words had brought him. He’d known that them getting married could eventually lead to her having kids – even as he knew it would be hard for her to conceive after Jolinar – he just hadn’t expected it to be so soon! If he were honest, he’d hoped it would take months if not years because by then his feelings for her may be gone… okay, not gone, but maybe diminished.

_“Sir? Are you still there?”_

 


	25. Confessions

If Carter was planning a pregnancy, she would have to quit birth control, which would also mean no ’gate traveling. She had been on missions lately, until she was shot, so in that case she couldn’t be pregnant. Carter was a stickler for rules; she wouldn’t have snuck around just so she could keep going through the ’gate. Then again, if her body chemistry was screwed up because of that snake, there was a good chance the birth control failed, right? Was that the reason she wanted to step down? The buzzing in his ears stopped and he heard her voice.

_“Sir?”_

“Carter, is that why you’re stepping down?”

_“In a way, I think so, Sir. I mean, I wouldn’t be able to go through the ’gate if I were pregnant… of course, as I said before this is all hypothetically speaking.”_

“Hypothetically?” Jack coughed uncomfortably.

_“Well, yes Sir. I love kids, but I’m not sure if I’m cut out to be a mom…”_

“I have seen you with Cassie, you’re definitely mommy-material,” Jack replied, fidgeting behind his desk. All the times he had thought of their future together, there had been kids. Cute little blonde ones with big blue eyes, like Carter.

_“Thank you, Sir, but I’m still not completely convinced. Besides, Pete’s children are very young and this way I can practice every other weekend.”_

Jack heard the glum tone of her voice and he wondered what it was about… Perhaps the cop didn’t want another child just yet and Carter did? Shanahan doesn’t deserve her, Jack mused. It could also be because she wanted to see those kids more often than every other weekend. Maybe she didn’t want them there at all, but Jack found that hard to imagine, Carter always liked everyone. On the other hand, she _was_ getting an entire family by marrying that detective.

“Carter?”

_“Sir?”_

“Are you really sure about this? If it’s because you, eh… want a family somewhere down the line, you can always step down when you’re ready. You have so much potential and you’re doing a great job commanding SG-1… right now, you’re still on medical leave, after which you have a couple of days off,” Jack purposely didn’t mention _why_ she had those days off, not wanting to think about that. “Think about it some more, you can always step down – it would be harder to get command back when you realize it was a mistake to leave.”

 _“With all due respect, Sir_ – _”_

“Ack! Give it some more thought and time, Carter,” Jack said, raising his hand to interrupt her as if she was standing in front of him. “Tell me this, Carter, what do you want?”

_“Sir?”_

“Do _you_ want to quit SG-1?”

_“I’m not sure, Sir. I can’t imagine not being on the team, it’s been a part of my life for the last eight years…”_

“That’s exactly what I mean, Carter.”

_“Yet it’s different now.”_

Bracing himself, Jack asked a question he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer of. “Now that you’re with Shanahan?”

 _“Um… no,”_ doubt was evident in her voice and it was obvious she was hesitating to continue, so Jack just stayed quiet ‘forcing’ her to fill the silence. _“Now, that I’m in command… now that you’re not here, Sir.”_

“C’mon Carter, I left the team two years ago and I’m not even counting my cozy stasis pod-time,” Jack said lighthearted, yet he meant it.

_“I know that, Sir. It’s just that you were still here, and now… now, you’re not. Everything is changing and I’m not sure if I like those changes.”_

Well, he could certainly name a few changes he did not like, but it was best not to tell her that, he figured. “Landry is a good man, Carter, I’m sure if you get to know him a bit better you’ll see that as well.”

_“I’m sure he is, Sir. After all, I doubt you would’ve given him the position if he wasn’t… it’s not just that, it’s everything. The personnel keeps changing, we keep losing good people and for what? So we can rid the galaxy of the Goa’uld only for a more superior enemy to come forth?”_

“No one ever said life would be easy, Carter,” Jack gently commented, realizing she was frustrated. Probably from being cooped up for so long with nothing to do…

_“Wouldn’t that be a cliché, Sir?”_

He heard her smothered laugh on the other end and he smiled. Apparently, he could still make her smile and laugh, which was a good thing, he thought. “Yeah, and you know how I feel about those…”

 _“Yes Sir,”_ Sam replied as her laughter died and a silence had descended upon their conversation.

* * *

 

It felt so familiar and safe to be talking to him like this. She hadn’t realized how much she missed his company, his lame jokes and the sound of his voice. Ever since he had left, she had felt like something was amiss and she had blamed that feeling on their awkward parting that morning, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Lying there in the infirmary and opening her eyes to see him sitting there, waiting for her to wake up. Already talking to her, because he has always been the first to know when she woke. It had felt comforting, especially with the guys there. She hadn’t realized Pete was really there and somehow it felt wrong… he wasn’t supposed to be there, not in that part of her life. That was something that was hers and only hers, something she only shared with the guys and the General. Janet as well, before she had died… suddenly feeling emotional, she held back a sob thinking of her late friend. This comforting, familiar, and safe feeling had left that day in the battlefield, as she had watched the then-Colonel – and even left her position to get to his side – go down after a staff blast and hearing that her best friend had been killed.

A shiver ran through her and she grimaced as the pain in her side reminded her again of her wound and indirectly of Janet Fraiser, her best friend and confident. She realized she had forgotten to take her pain meds, as she and the General had been talking for quite a while.

If she were honest, she hadn’t expected him to actually call her on her decision; she didn’t think he wanted anything to do with her anymore. Not after the embarrassing moment on his couch, after which he didn’t even give her his new addresses or phone number. Even now, that moment kept returning to her thoughts and she didn’t like it. If she was going to marry Pete, she shouldn’t be thinking about the General, should she?

_“Carter, are you still there?”_

Letting out a deep sigh, Sam realized she needed to know what he was thinking. She had turned him down during the quarantine and had doubted herself ever since. She was known for her bad judgment when it came to men, right? Did she choose the right one this time? Pete was nice, caring, kind, charming, funny, and loved her, she was really fond of him. However, her feelings for the General and Pete were completely different from each other. Then again, what could the man on the other end of the line give her? Nothing at this moment and he might never be able to. The only way was for him to resign, which he still hadn’t, yet that day he had claimed that he wanted to be with her someday. _Sounds like the story of my life_ , she thought angrily. “Sir?”

_“Carter?”_

She smiled for a moment, it reminded her of the friendly banter he and Daniel were always engaged in – well, they used to, when they were both living in this state. “I’m not sure.”

 _“About?”_ He drawled out the word.

“This,” she hesitantly stated, waving her hand around even if he couldn’t see it.

_“And ‘this’ might be…?”_

How was she supposed to bring this up into their conversation? Looking around her, she only got more frustrated as she saw the new furniture in a house that didn’t feel like her home. She and Pete were supposed to make this their home, but she wasn’t feeling it yet. Of course, they hadn’t even been living here for a week, but still, they had bought all the furniture and stuff weeks ago. Now that she was actually living here, it felt strange. To top it all, she couldn’t even walk around or paint something because of those damn stitches in her side.

_“What are you talking about, Carter? Your decision to step down as team commander?”_

She immediately recognized his cautious tone and could hear the hesitancy in his words. The General wasn’t as stupid as he liked to pretend…

“Everything, Sir… the command, the USAF, you, me, this house, Pete, a dog…” Her voice trailed off as she was summing up all kinds of uncertainties in her life.

* * *

 

His heart stopped for a minute or two, or so he thought, listening to her voice rattle off. If he hadn’t been in tip top shape, he was sure his heart would fail him now. Carter was talking about what he thought she was talking about and his hopes lifted a bit. However, they came crashing down as he heard her mention kids… Had she not just been talking about having children with that _cop_ , almost killing him and ripping his heart out at the same moment? His complexion had only just returned from the shock of thinking she was pregnant and she had sounded serious about it. What was she playing at?

“What are you saying, Carter?”

_“That’s just it, Sir. I don’t know…”_

Trying to calm himself down, he came to a conclusion. “So… you’re having cold feet?”

_“What? No, Sir, it’s not like that!”_

“Then what is it like, Carter? Because you’re getting married in three weeks in case you’ve forgotten,” he sneered, not liking the way she was toying with his feelings. Had she always been like this?

 _“Of course I haven’t forgotten,_ Sir _,”_ she spat out his honorific. _“I’ve just been doubting my decisions, my feelings, my actions and I don’t know what to do anymore.”_

“Why ask me?”

_“The truth… the truth is I’ve been having second thoughts about the wedding.”_

“Why?” Jack asked in a cautious manner, trying not to let his surprise at her actually admitting that – to him of all people – shine through.

_“See, the thing is, the closer it gets, the more I get the feeling I’m making a big, huge mistake…”_

Jack fidgeted in his chair, not ready for her to confess. “Look Carter, I don’t know what…”

_“Sir, I’m sorry to bother you with this, but uh, see, there’s actually a very good reason that I’m bothering you with this, and if I don’t tell you now, I might never…”_

“Carter,” Jack said through gritted teeth. “I don’t think this is a conversation we should be having.”

He could hear her swallow, obviously embarrassed about her nervous admission.

“At least, not now. Not over the phone,” he tried, gentler this time. God help him if she was thinking about changing her mind, because he didn’t know how much more of this tension he could take before it’d kill him…

 _“I guess you’re right, Sir,”_ relief clearly sounding through her voice.

“You just make damn sure you know what you want, Carter,” he said while rubbing his hand over his face. “I have to go, I’m already late for a meeting with the Joint Chiefs and the President,” he put down the receiver after hearing her say goodbye and straightened his jacket before walking towards the meeting, wondering if they would buy his excuse for being late.

 


	26. Contemplations

"It's healing perfectly, the stitches have already been absorbed by your body as far as I can tell, and there is no redness around the wound," Carolyn Lam said as she was examining Colonel Carter's wound. "I hadn't expected you to heal this fast, if you want you can start light duty until the wedding?"

"God, please," Sam nearly cried out from excitement, she had been incredibly bored lately not being able to do what she wanted. Pulling down her shirt, she got up from the bed and got to her feet. "Will you inform General Landry?"

"Yes, I'll tell him you can start light duty on Monday," Carolyn nodded.

Sighing, Sam's shoulders drooped. "Can't I start today? Or tomorrow even?"

"Anxious to start, are we?"

Smiling back, Sam gave her an affirmative. "You have no idea how hard it is to do nothing." She walked out of the infirmary, hearing the doctor laugh and saying something about workaholics. Pushing the button for the elevator to come, she noticed the SFs following her. "You can go back to your posts, Airmen, I've been cleared for light duty," she said over her shoulder.

"With all due respect, Ma'am, General Landry is the only one that can revoke his order."

Of course he was,Sam thought dejectedly, he wouldn't want to take the risk that she'd order them off while not properly healed… General Landry reminded her of her father in a way, always taking extreme measures to make sure she'll follow orders. "Fine," she sighed, stepping into the car and going up to level 18 to visit Daniel in his lab.

* * *

Daniel looked up as a shadow cast over him and saw his friend smiling at him. "Sam! You're here!"

"Yes, Daniel," Sam chuckled. "I'm really here."

"How are you? Did General Landry finally let you on base?"

Shrugging, she replied. "Doctor Lam says I'm healing faster than expected and can start light duty, but she has to tell the General first and only then they will leave me alone," she pointed her thumb over her shoulder towards the two SFs. "I feel like I'm a goddamned Goa'uld under guard, or something."

Chuckling, Daniel hugged her. "Wow, you must really be bored to use that kind of language."

"Don't even get me started," she joked, as she patted his back and unwrapped herself from him.

Shoving his glasses up his nose, Daniel squinted at her. "So… how is the new house?"

"I- I don't know," she sighed. "I still have to get used to it, I guess. It's different and doesn't feel like home yet…"

"Is that why you haven't sold your house yet?" Daniel inquired, crossing his arms.

"No, not really… I had someone come by to make a price assessment, since I've been living there for almost a decade and he said that it was really favorable, the only downside being the location; which isn't bad per se, but it is rather close to the base and some people might not like that. That got me thinking and I decided to try and rent it out to SGC personnel, since I can easily afford it. Sometimes hazard pay does come in handy," she grinned. "The question now is if people are interested…"

"Are you kidding me?" Daniel asked surprised. "I've overheard several people about it; two lieutenants almost started a fist fight in the locker room."

"Come on, Daniel," she replied exasperated. "No one would believe that, you're a terrible joker."

"I'm being serious Sam! Everyone wants to rent Colonel Carter's house, you are quite a legend, you know?" He playfully stated, poking her good side.

Confused, she frowned. "You're saying they want to rent it because it's  _my_  house?"

"Yeah," he grinned sheepishly. "Apparently, they all want to have your 'safe haven' and some were even hoping they would have to see and speak to you on a regular basis."

"Why? If someone wants to talk to me, they can just come up to me," she retorted, still frowning.

Smiling, Daniel dragged his hand through his hair. "You don't even realize how intimidating you are, do you?"

"Me?"

"You are one of the highest ranking women in the military, Sam and one of the highest ranking officers of this base. Not to mention you're the commander of the flagship team and you have quite a reputation of being a genius…" His voice trailed off as he gestured wildly with his hands.

"I had no idea," Sam softly responded.

Daniel returned to his previous position, hunched over his books, still smiling. "So, the house isn't what you expected?" He asked, trying to make it sound casual.

"I'm not sure," she shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not sure of anything, right now."

Hearing her words, his head immediately snapped up, giving her an appraising look. "What do you mean?"

"I guess I've had too many time on my hands, and now…" She sighed, scrunched up her nose, and threw her hands in the air. "I'm second guessing my decisions, I think."

Keeping his smile under control, Daniel thought about her words. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? "About…?"

Blushing, Sam looked at him nervously. "Never mind, I should go see General Landry," she said, before turning on her heels, ignoring his calls.

* * *

"Enter," General Landry's voice bellowed.

Sam quickly opened the door and slipped into his office, closing the door before the SFs could follow her in. "Sir," she greeted him, standing at attention.

"Colonel Carter," Hank acknowledged her. "I assume you are here to talk about Carolyn's advice?"

"Yes Sir, she told me I was cleared for light duty," she nodded.

"So I heard, am I correct to assume you want to start immediately?" Hank smiled at her eagerness as he saw her nod fiercely. "Well, she is the CMO for a reason, so I'll allow it–"

"Thank you, Sir," Sam beamed at him, adding a megawatt smile.

"–but, you can only work today and tomorrow, as your presence has been requested by the JCS and the President."

"My presence, Sir?" She asked confused. "Why?"

"I'm not sure, Colonel, I was hoping you could tell me."

"I honestly have no idea, Sir," she replied a bit suspiciously. Why would they want to see her?

"Well, now that you're cleared by the CMO, I think it's safe to say you're going to Washington the day after tomorrow. Dismissed."

* * *

Sitting in her lab, Sam started thinking about the reason she was called to DC and couldn't come up with anything logical. Perhaps General O'Neill had told them about her request to step down as commander of SG-1 and they wanted to intervene? No, he wouldn't do that as he wanted me to think about it, she mused, while tapping her fingers on the table.

Grabbing all the papers from her inbox, she started reading through them, but soon found they couldn't hold her attention. Her mind kept wandering back to the phone conversation she'd had with the General. What did she want? When he told her to make her mind up, he wasn't talking about SG-1, was he? She didn't think so, since his tone had sounded different and she had just made a sort of admission about doubting her earlier decision during the quarantine. What if he had been and she was jumping to conclusions? Damn, why did they have that conversation over the phone? If it had been face-to-face, she might have been able to see what he was thinking…

Talking to him, hearing his familiar voice brought back old feelings and she was wondering if she was right to reevaluate her situation. At that moment, she thought she was, but after hanging up she started thinking again. His reaction wasn't what she had expected, not that she had known what to expect, but she was sure it wasn't his gruff and askant tone. Maybe he didn't want her at all?  _Holy Hannah, when did I become so insecure?_ Shrugging at her own musings, she knew she was always insecure when it came to Jack O'Neill, whether he was a Colonel or a General…

She had been sitting in her new living room that late afternoon as Pete had come home and kissed her, telling her how happy he was to be back. It had made her smile, knowing that he had missed her. It was almost as if he knew that she had been doubting their upcoming marriage, because he had been so kind and sweet that evening; he had bought her a bracelet, made her a romantic dinner and afterwards they had snuggled up on their new couch. Her wound was becoming less sensitive by the day and it was the first time since the mission that she had been able to snuggle up to him. Later that night she had gently turned him down as he wanted to make love to her, because of the injury – or so she had told him.

Somewhere along the line, she remembered the conversation with the General and knew she needed to make up her mind before being with Pete. If she were to choose Pete then no harm, no foul. However, if she wanted to be with the General, he would never forgive her if she slept with Pete after that phone call, she thought.

She had to admit, though, that she had enjoyed their evening together, which made her doubt her earlier second-guessing. Why did she think she wanted to be with the General? Because he made her laugh, feel special, is sexy as hell, knows almost everything about her and still wanted her. He had also seen her at her worst, would give and  _has_  given his life for her and is one of her best friends. Yet, Pete is funny as well, good looking, kind, loves her and isn't afraid to tell her, wants to know all about her and wants to marry her and have a family…

Why was this so hard? Did she really love the General or was he just her safe bet? There was a physical attraction, she was sure of that. He was rather good looking, especially if he smiled or grinned and his dark eyes would twinkle, and had an ass to die for, not to mention that cute hair that would stick up. She wondered if it was soft? They'd worked in the field together for seven years and now she was wondering what his hair felt like?Sam smiled at the little voice in her head, knowing it was indeed ridiculous; there were so many opportunities she could've used as an excuse to touch his hair, yet she never had…

Shaking her head, she went back to her pondering. Maybe it was just the idea? To have something that is supposed to be unattainable… A relationship with her CO – and right now her CO's CO – in direct chain of command isn't allowed according to the fraternization regulations, which could make it even more enticing? What if that was all it was? A physical attraction to a sexy, good-looking man who was officially off limits. There had been a lot of repressed, sexual tension over the years of working together, then again, both of them had been single that entire time… well, maybe there was a fling here or there, but nothing serious really.

Was all of this worth it to end it with Pete, a man who loved her without a doubt and could give her a family? So that perhaps someday she could pursue a relationship with her commanding officer? That meant he had to resign – which he'd never indicated he would do – or be transferred and she knew the last option wasn't a real possibility, not with his experience and knowledge. She could quit the Air Force or ask for a transfer, but she didn't know if she wanted to quit her life's work and was pretty sure she didn't want to transfer. At least, not anywhere that could make a relationship between them possible… Everything related to her line of work was under his command, after all.

After being blended with Jolinar, her body chemistry was screwed up and Janet had told her there was a good chance she would have trouble getting pregnant, if she could at all. Were she to leave Pete and choose the General over him, would she be able to have a child? How long would she have to wait before they could get romantically involved? She knew he loved kids and was great with them, but did that mean he'd want another child after everything that had happened with Charlie? Even if she would be able to conceive a child, there were only a few years left before she would be too old…

What if, someday, they would finally have their chance to pursue a romantic relationship and it wouldn't work out? She would be too old to have children, their relationship would change forever, ruining their friendship, and they would be uncomfortable around each other. If he would even live that long, seeing as she had this black widow-thing going… _God, I don't want him to end up dead because of me!_

Looking up, she realized it was getting late and seeing as she couldn't concentrate on her work, she decided to go home. Her new home, the one Pete had bought them and where their children would grow up? At least their dog, if Pete's words were anything to go by. Well, it  _did_ have a backyard…


	27. Washington

Walking through the halls of the Pentagon, Jack was thinking about Carter. He knew she would be staying in DC for a few meetings with the JCS and the President and figured that she would probably want to meet up and talk. He'd been off his game a bit since the phone conversation they had shared. He didn't know what to expect from her and he wasn't sure he knew what  _he_  wanted from her. She had been acting strange lately, well, actually for quite some time now. Not strange, as in possessed by some kind of entity, but unCarter-like and he didn't like it.

Thinking back, he was unsure when it had started. It was definitely before he had transferred to DC, even before that damn quarantine. Maybe when he took command of the SGC? If that was so, then why had she changed? After all, she was the one – together with the guys – who had encouraged him to take the promotion. Or did it happen when she began to date that  _cop_? When good ol' Doc Fraiser was killed? He knew that they had been best friends and that Carter – like everyone at the SGC – had been extremely upset by the loss… perhaps those two things combined had changed her somehow. Perhaps he should've expected that their line of work would eventually take its toll on her…

Turning the corner, Jack nodded to a passing colonel and went out the door. He was supposed to meet Ilse for a late lunch two blocks away and he was right on schedule. She was in DC for a client and had been staying at his new house, helping him unpack after work. He had to admit he was settling in pretty well, especially with her cooking him dinner. He wasn't a chauvinist, but it was nice to come home after a day filled with annoying people whining to have a home cooked meal waiting for you. Even if she was out when he came in, there would still be dinner. In addition, she had the habit of doing his groceries and actually got him quite a few tasty things…

For some reason, Ilse was always good in giving advice and he didn't know if it was just something about her – Lily actually had the same gift – or if it was a female thing. She had been out the last two days after he got home, so he hadn't had the time to fill her in about the somewhat strange phone call with Carter. Perhaps she could shed some light on it.

* * *

Ever since he was living in Washington, Jack had noticed how his dress uniform got him all kinds of unwanted attention. Now, walking through the streets, he still noticed people glancing at him, even after putting on his black coat – perhaps the stars gave him away – while it wasn't that cold, but it hid some of his dress blues and medals. Being a general was exhausting, especially here since all his medals and awards made him stand out. Mostly because the other generals didn't have so much, probably because only George Hammond and himself were the only generals that had been in the program – and all he could and would answer to questions was that "It's classified" which only seemed to pique everyone's interest.

Normally, strolling around the streets or a park would clear his head, but now it seemed to be filled with thoughts of Carter. This change in her behavior, was it just a side of her he had never seen before, something she had developed over the years or was it a change due to circumstances? He hoped it was the latter, since he wasn't too charmed with some of the decisions she had made due to this and he had the idea she had become more distant towards him and even Teal'c and Daniel… He knew a new relationship – like the one she had with the cop – could bring out the best or worst in people and sometimes it made someone adapt a bit for their new partner. Was that the case here? She had withdrawn herself from him – them – a bit and was behaving hesitantly, not knowing what she wanted half of the time, which had actually resulted in her inflicting emotional pain on those around her. He definitely wasn't too fond of this behavior…

Crossing the street, he had already arrived at the little restaurant where he was supposed to have lunch with Ilse. Walking in, he decided his musings would have to wait for a while as he saw her sitting in the corner.

"Waiting long?" He asked as he greeted her and gestured towards her laptop, while taking a seat.

Smiling at him, she closed off the laptop and turned to him. "No, I only got here a few minutes ago. I was just booking a flight back home," she replied, putting away the computer.

"Oh, when is your flight?"

Sighing, she took a sip of her ice tea. "Later tonight, Lily called asking me if I could help her out with Milou this week, since she has to perform…"

Jack nodded his understanding and looked at the menu, while making small talk. Eventually he breached the subject of Carter and the phone call, after putting his pride aside. He wasn't comfortable talking about 'feelings,' never had been and it took him some effort to confide in her – which he knew she knew and that was probably the reason she was always so patient with him.

"So, what are you planning to talk about?"

"That's just the thing, I've got nothing," Jack replied bashfully.

Cocking her head, Ilse gave him a pointed look. "Come on, Jack, surely there must be something you want to tell her? I know how you feel about her, remember?"

"Yeah well, I'm pretty sure I told her everything I could – within the boundaries – a few weeks ago…" His voice trailed off, thinking back to that  _talk_.

"The quarantine," it was a statement, not a question.

He simply nodded and waited for the waiter to take their orders, before speaking again. "I don't know what else she wants from me," he let out an exasperated sigh while ruffling his hair.

"She's obviously insecure about your feelings for her," Ilse mentioned, while casually gesturing with her hands. "About her feelings for you as well, I guess, seeing as she can't seem to make up her mind."

"So?"

"What?" She asked, frowning at him.

"What should I do?"

Shrugging, Ilse looked at him. "How would I know?"

"Because you always know," he exclaimed.

Grinning, Ilse took a few seconds to enjoy the moment; it wasn't often Jack would admit she was actually helpful with her advice. "Go talk to her, ask her what she wants, tell her what you want and that she should make up her mind, before it's too late."

"That's your great advice?"

Thinking for a moment, she just smiled. "Yeah, I think it is."

The waiter arrived again, this time with their food and they ate in a comfortable silence for a while.

"So," Jack drawled out. "Lily is still performing? Is that wise?"

"Well, the doctor said she could unless she was tired or feeling ill, because she tires easily nowadays… I believe this is part of her last series, she already cancelled her fall tour," Ilse replied, gesticulating while speaking.

"She must be so disappointed, I know how much she was looking forward to touring through Europe, performing."

"Yeah," sadness was sounding through her voice. "She wasn't feeling so good yesterday, which is why she called me but I still had that appointment this morning, which is why I'm leaving tonight."

"Perhaps she should skip performing then?" Jack cautiously proposed.

Scrunching up her nose, Ilse looked at him. "That's what I said, but she was sure she would be feeling better by then… she thought it was a side effect from some of her new medication," she softly added. She knew Lily was going through a lot of pain, since most pain meds weren't safe for the babies – or for breastfeeding Milou – and yet their little sister hardly ever complained. As if the pain alone wasn't enough, carrying twins was taking its toll as well. Not to mention caring for Milou, who was still waking her up a few times a night.

"Okay," Jack sighed and stood. "I'm sorry, but I have to go back to work."

Ilse nodded her understanding and got up. "I still have a few things to do at the office, then I'll go to your place and make sure you have some decent food before I leave," she smiled evilly at him. "Maybe I'll even have the time to unpack the last few boxes, since my flight is just after midnight."

"So, you'll still be there when I get back? Great, I guess I'll see you then," he smirked, picking up the tab before leaving the restaurant.

* * *

"Hey babe," Pete said as he walked into the lunchroom and spotted Sam at a table.

"Hi Pete," Sam said, giving him a kiss. "Daniel and I already ordered."

"Pete," Daniel politely greeted him.

"Daniel, it's good to see you again. This is great!" He said, as he lowered himself on a chair next to Sam.

Daniel just gave him a small smile, having slightly different feelings about Pete joining them for lunch. He had asked Sam to grab lunch in town, instead of the mountain, in the hopes he could get her to talk about the doubts she had mentioned earlier. They had just pulled up in the parking lot, when Pete had called and practically invited himself… which was pretty hard to turn down. "Sam and I were just talking about her trip to Washington," he mentioned, trying to get a conversation going.

"What about it?" Pete inquired, glancing between them.

"Um… nothing, I still don't know why I have to be there for two almost full days," Sam replied.

"I thought Sam should call Jack."

Pete gave Sam a scrutinizing look, not happy about this turn of events. "General O'Neill? Why?"

"He might know more," Daniel innocently answered, knowing Sam knew that wasn't the reason he had suggested it. But he suspected Pete didn't like Jack, or rather the idea of Sam and Jack getting together over lunch or something, so he played dumb.

"How could he know why the Joint Chiefs and the President of the United States want to see you?" Pete jeeringly said.

"Because of his new position," Sam explained, not going into detail since Pete's clearance wasn't that high.

Pete cocked his head towards her, disbelief showing on his face. "You really think so?" He had called his pal Farrity with the FBI, to see where the good general had been transferred. The FBI-agent had told him that he was even more scrubbed than 'that Major' he had done a background check on a year ago. The only thing that he could tell for sure was that O'Neill was in Washington DC, probably the Pentagon, the rest was covered up.

"Yeah, as he talks to them all the time, with all those meetings," Daniel said, casually shrugging. He saw Pete's eyebrows shoot up with surprise and suppressed a smile – he was secretly enjoying this, perhaps he had more in common with Jack than he thought…

"I guess I could just wait until I get there," Sam said, smiling shyly. "Besides, I doubt the General could tell me."

"You never know, just call his office," Daniel insisted, shoving her cell phone – which had been lying on the table the entire time – towards her. "Now."

"Daniel," Sam sighed, rolling her eyes.

Shrugging, Pete said she could always try. He wouldn't deny he was curious about it as well.

"Fine," she relented, grabbing her phone and searching his number. "I'll be right back," walking towards the door, she left the two men at the table.

* * *

_"General O'Neill's office,"_ a voice said after the phone had rung a few times.

"This is Lieutenant Colonel Carter; can I speak to the General, please?"

_"He's in a meeting; can I take a message, Ma'am?"_

"Um… could you tell me if he is busy tomorrow or the day after? I'm in DC and would like to see him," she hesitantly explained.

_"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but his schedule is all filled up, there's no more room for another appointment."_

Getting frustrated – she really wanted to talk to the General, even if she wasn't sure yet about her predicament – she let out an exasperated sigh. "What about lunch?"

_"The General prefers not to be disturbed during lunch hour, Ma'am."_

"Fine, I'll leave a message: 'Colonel Carter wants to have lunch tomorrow or day after,' okay?" She asked impatiently.

_"Yes, Ma'am, I'll pass it along."_

"Thank you," was all she said before ending the connection. Turning around, she watched Pete and Daniel, as they appeared to have an uncomfortable talk. She wondered what it was about… she pocketed her phone and went back inside.

* * *

"Well, I can see you need a bit more time to come to an agreement," Jack said to the arguing IOA members and turned towards Major Paul Davis. "I suggest we reschedule this meeting, since Davis and I have to be somewhere."

Immediately catching on to the bored General, Davis stood and nodded. "Yes Sir, we're almost late for our next appointment," he said as he placed his notes into his case.

Jack got up as well, grabbing the notepad he'd been scribbling on and left the room as fast as he could without looking ridiculous. God, those people were such morons! They couldn't even agree with themselves and yet they insist on having a say about sighed aloud and waited in the corridor for Davis, who was just coming through the door. "Well, that was fun," he sarcastically mentioned as the two of them walked away.

"Yes Sir," Paul grinned. "Can't remember the last I had so much fun during work hours."

Jack smirked at his response, glad that not everyone in DC was so uptight and without a sense of humor. "We didn't really have a next appointment, did we?"

"No Sir."

"Good, just checking," Jack said relieved. "Well, in that case, might I suggest you go home early today?"

"Sir?" Paul asked, surprised by the General's offer.

"It's past 1600 hours, Major, it won't kill you to leave earlier every once in a while. I doubt you've actually left before 1800 hours since Homeworld Security was founded."

"You got me there, Sir," Paul replied sheepishly.

"Then go," Jack said, motioning with his hands. "I've got some more paperwork to do."

"Yes Sir."

Jack saw the Major almost run towards the exit, probably scared that he would change his mind and he smiled as he walked towards his office.

"Sir, you're back early," his assistant said, jumping up.

Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, Jack just nodded. "Yeah, I skipped out on a few hours of bickering. Anything happen while I was gone?"

"Yes Sir, the JCS sent the files you requested, General Landry called and asked if you could call him back and Colonel Carter left you a message."

Jack snatched the papers off the desk and walked into his office without a word. He wasn't really surprised that Carter had called, yet on the other hand he wasn't sure she would. Does this mean she made up her mind? Sitting down, he put the paperwork on one corner of his desk, after retrieving Carter's message. Lunch? He quickly checked his schedule and realized he was quite busy tomorrow and the next day –  _what else is new?_  – which meant there wouldn't be a lot of time to have lunch. He reached over to his phone and dialed her cell phone, which of course she didn't answer…

* * *

Exhausted, Sam plopped down on the couch after finally getting home. Having forgotten her injury, she flinched a bit, but it was more out of shock than out of pain as it wasn't so sensitive anymore.

"Hey babe," Pete said, coming up behind the couch and pressing a kiss on her crown. "You're late."

"I was engrossed in one of my experiments," Sam sighed. "When I finally finished, Felger almost blew up his lab and General Landry wanted me to do damage control."

"Have you eaten already?"

"Yeah, Daniel brought me dinner while I was working," she smiled. "And afterwards Teal'c went to the commissary with me to enjoy a bowl of jello."

"Ah, okay, um… I have to go; my shift starts in half an hour."

"Bye, drive carefully," Sam yelled over her shoulder, not even bothering to get up. She couldn't remember the last time she was this tired. Probably after being chased by the Kull Warrior on the Alpha site, she mused. She knew it wasn't because of the long day – hell, she'd worked day and night for three months when the then-Colonel O'Neill had been trapped on Edora and she hadn't been this tired then – but because of all her thoughts. Her mind had been racing, thinking about the experiment, the damage control, her life, Pete, General O'Neill, Washington…

Trying to get more comfortable, she squirmed on the couch until she was lying just right… reaching underneath her body, she retrieved her cell phone from her back pocket, which had been pointing in her ass. Noticing the new text she had, she opened it and saw she had a voicemail from General O'Neill's office. Inhaling sharply, she decided to just listen to it and pressed the button.

_"Carter, it's me. I got your message, it's just that I don't have a lot of time during lunch tomorrow or the day after in case you want to, eh… talk. I'm not sure what I can tell you that I haven't already told you, but if you want we can have dinner instead? Let me know. O'Neill out."_

She wondered what he was referring to, their phone conversation the other day? In which he had said they shouldn't be talking about  _that_  over the phone? Well, he hadn't said that much and she was still unsure if he wanted her or not. All he'd told her was to make damn sure she knew what she wanted, what was that supposed to mean? On the other hand, he could be talking about that day during the quarantine… when he'd claimed he wanted to be with her. Someday. God, this was frustrating!

Looking at the time, she was surprised to see that it was almost 2200 hours… could she still call the General? It would be close to midnight in DC, but if she didn't call she would have to call tomorrow and he might have other plans by then…

Taking a chance, she pressed the call button and waited for him to pick up… waited… and waited. Okay, so maybe he was asleep or perhaps not even home yet? Getting up, she grabbed her dress blues from the closet to hang them out in the bathroom. Glancing at the bathtub, she was inclined to take a hot, soaking bath so she could relax and fall asleep easily. She could also take a shower tomorrow morning, before leaving for DC… annoyed with herself – it looked like she was doubting everything right now – she decided to take a bath. Turning on the faucet, she regulated the temperature before throwing in some foam to get bubbles. She walked out of the bathroom and grabbed her phone, determined to call again.

"Hello?" Sam asked, as it was picked up on the other end, but she couldn't hear a voice.

 _"O'Neill residence, Ilse speaking,"_ a soft whisper came through.

Stunned for a moment, Sam didn't say a word. She hadn't expected  _her_  to be there and why was she whispering? Did she even want to know why the phone hadn't been answered before?

_"Hello?"_

"Um… hi," Sam answered lamely.

_"Colonel Carter?"_

_Wow, she is good_ , Sam thought. "Yes, er… Is the General around?"

 _"He's, um… asleep,"_  her voice came through louder now and Sam could hear her padding over a wooden floor.

Closing her eyes in embarrassment, Sam just let out an "Oh." Swallowing, she continued. "I just got back from the SGC and figured that perhaps…"

 _"Yeah, I think I've worn him out_ – _"_

"Never mind! I don't want to know," Sam almost screamed, interrupting the other woman before she would go into detail.

_"With ordering him around, Colonel. We were unpacking the last few boxes and he'd had a long day."_

Now Sam felt even more foolish and she was glad Ilse – she could swear she heard a suppressed smile in her voice – couldn't see the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Oh, of course," she stammered.

_"If it's important, I could wake him?"_

"No, never mind," Sam replied.

_"Are you sure? I could also leave a note if you don't want me to wake him?"_

"A note?"

_"Yes, I was just on my way out to the airport when I heard the phone; I have a plane to catch."_

"No, it's okay, I was just returning his call."

_"Whatever you want, Colonel. Now if you don't mind, I really have to get going…"_

"Sure, bye." Sam said, before hanging up. Well, that went the phone on her nightstand, she walked over to the bathroom, all the while leaving a trail with her clothes as she pulled them off and discarded them on the floor by flinging them over her shoulder.

* * *

Reaching out to the annoying alarm clock, Jack turned the alarm off, before getting up. Damn, he was tired!He was tempted to use the snooze button, but being in the military his entire adult life had given him discipline – in some aspects – and he knew he couldn't sleep after waking up. He took a quick shower, before putting on his much-hated dress blues and walked downstairs to the kitchen, jacket in hand. He saw a note on the counter and picked it up.

_Jack,_

_I hope I didn't wake you last night when I left, sleep well? Before I left, Colonel Carter phoned to return your call, but when I said you were asleep – she didn't want me to wake you – she said to forget about it and didn't want to leave a message. I figured you still wanted to know, perhaps call her back (hint!)? I stocked up your fridge yesterday, so you don't have to worry about groceries for like a week… I will text you after setting foot on Dutch soil._

_Love, Ilse_

_PS.  
I hope you didn't put her off in your voicemail, because she didn't sound very happy…_

Had he 'put Carter off?' Jack didn't think so; then again he wasn't sure what to think anymore when it came to Carter. He used to be able to read her like a book and knew exactly what to expect, but now she had changed somehow and it was even getting harder and harder to understand her…

Pouring milk into his bowl of Fruit Loops, Jack automatically reached for the phone to call Carter back and realized just in time that it was only 0420 in Colorado Springs… putting down the phone, he made a mental note to call back later, but before she stepped onto the plane. He was sure Carter slept with her phone by her nightstand – she had answered the SGC calls far too fast for it not to be there – or else he would have called and left another voicemail. Scooping up his cereals, he grabbed a cup of coffee and listened to the news.  _Another sunny day, excellent!_

Dumping the dirty dishes into the sink, he went to the bathroom for a pee, before leaving his house and locking the door – when he was living in Colorado Springs an unlocked door was fine, but he didn't want some annoying politician getting in his house. His driver was already waiting in front of the house, and it made Jack sigh with exasperation. He wasn't the type to be driven around, but on the other hand he didn't want to do the driving himself in this rotten city… besides, the driver was getting paid and would show up, whether he would use him or not – thanks to the President. He quickly hopped in, after greeting the lieutenant.

* * *

Walking around the airport, Sam was annoyed with all the people wandering around aimlessly. How difficult could it be to find your gate? She hated unpreparedness, and quickly stalked off to her gate. Unfortunately there hadn't been a military hop – or even a nice beam, since no ships were in orbit – so she had to fly with a commercial line, which meant she had to get her scarcely packed bag checked out, had to go through security, etc.

When she was finally cleared by security and found her gate, she heard her phone ring. Fumbling in her pockets, she couldn't find it in time and she saw the General had left her another voicemail. Exhaling loudly, she listened to it.

_"Carter, I heard you'd called. Apparently, we keep missing each other. Are we on for dinner or not? Today or tomorrow? O'Neill out."_

Were they on for dinner? Sam still hadn't made her mind up and she decided to text him back, since they couldn't get a hold on one another.

_Dinner is fine, Sir, tomorrow evening suits me best._

Putting away her phone, she picked up her bag and continued her way to her plane, all the while contemplating her relationships with Pete and the General.

* * *

Fidgeting, Sam walked through the Pentagon. She was still a bit dazzled from the meetings and nervous for her dinner with the General that evening. He had texted her back saying that would be good for him too and suggested 1830 hours, but now she was wondering where he wanted to eat. He hadn't suggested a restaurant, or a place to pick her up. How was she supposed to know what to do? Of course, her battery had died during one of the meetings and now she had no way of knowing if he'd called her. Maybe he expected her to be at his office? Perhaps he wanted to have dinner at his place? She swallowed hard, thinking of being alone with him in his apartment made her uncomfortable, because of the last time they had been alone at his house… if she were honest, she still hadn't made up her mind. However, she wanted to know his thoughts about them, before making a rash decision.

She grabbed her address book to search his and she frowned at the address. DC had been her stomping ground for years, but she couldn't place it. She figured it was in Georgetown and decided to look it up online. Finding a computer booth, she quickly logged on with her ID and entered it. She was right, it  _was_  in Georgetown, but… she changed to satellite image and realized the General was living in a brownstone. By the looks of it, it was a family home… why was he in a family home? Her heart stopped for a minute as she thought about the possibility he was living together with Ilse, but she had said she had a plane to catch, right?  _That doesn't mean she isn't living with him_ , a little voice told her.

Closing her eyes, Sam tried to regain control of her thoughts. Maybe the AF had set him up with it. He'd had a house in Colorado Springs even if he wasn't living with someone… maybe he just liked a house better than an apartment? She had driven by his old house the other day and noticed builders around, so she figured he'd sold it already. It made her wonder why he hadn't told her… well, in a way that didn't matter, now did it?

Glancing at her watch, she noted it was almost 1800 hours, and since she was still here she figured she'd stop by his office to ask him what their plans were. She logged off and – after re-orientating herself – made her way to his office. Stopping at his assistant's desk, the lieutenant jumped to attention.

"At ease, Lieutenant," she said, with a dismissive motion.

"Yes Ma'am."

"I was wondering if General O'Neill was in? We are supposed to have dinner in half an hour, but my phone died and I can't contact him for further details," she smiled a polite smile.

"Um…"

"What?"

"The General left already, Ma'am."

"What, when?" Sam exclaimed.

"A few hours ago, Ma'am."

"Hours?"

"Yes Ma'am, he stormed out of his office all of a sudden and told me to clear his schedule for the rest of the week and just left."


	28. Explanations

“Pete?” Sam yelled as she came through the door. Looking around, she shrugged off her coat and placed it on a hanger. She did a quick check of the house, before going upstairs, dragging her bag with her. Pete was snoring in the bed, fast asleep and Sam smiled as she put down her bag. Grabbing her robe, she went into the bathroom to take a quick shower and to brush her teeth. When she came out, he was still snoring; obviously, he hadn’t woken up by her entrance. She quickly hooked her phone to the charger on her nightstand, before slipping into the bed.

Pete’s alarm woke her after a few hours and she yawned as she stretched her limbs. “Turn it off,” she groaned.

“Hey babe,” Pete greeted her and planted a kiss on her lips. “I didn’t hear you come in?”

“I was quiet and you were snoring,” she chuckled. “I bet you couldn’t even hear me over that noise.”

“Funny,” he replied as he got up. “Aren’t you getting up?”

“I just got in a few hours ago, I’m tired. Besides, I don’t have to report in until 1300 hours,” she yawned again and motioned with her hands for him to leave so she could go back to sleep.

He took her hint and went into the bathroom, but she could still hear him rummaging about. How hard was it to take a nice quiet shower, brush your teeth, perhaps shave and go to the kitchen, she thought sleepily. Rolling over, she adjusted the alarm and as she rolled back her eye fell on her cell phone. Now completely charged, she grabbed it and turned it on. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking, she angrily told herself as she noticed there were no new messages – text or voicemail. _He_ could at least have the decency to call her to inform her dinner was off, couldn’t he? Why had he ‘stormed out of his office’ in the first place? The airman had told her it was a few hours before she came, so he could’ve easily contacted her by now. _Damn him!_ Placing the phone back on the nightstand, she ducked under the covers. Was he avoiding her? No, there must be a good reason for him to just leave like that, right? Letting out a frustrated sigh, she rolled on her back and angrily kicked up the sheets with her legs, trying to get it out of her system. “Aargh!” She groaned as she kicked off the covers completely and now she had to pick them up from the floor…

* * *

Jack was fidgeting in the backseat, wondering how much longer it would take the cabdriver to get there. Looking out the window, he couldn’t take in the scenery as his mind kept going back to Ilse’s call. He had been sitting in his office, doing some mighty fine paperwork when – out of the blue – she’d called and told him that Lily had collapsed on stage and was brought to the hospital as she was still unconscious. Not wasting any time he stormed out of his office, grabbing his coat and briefcase on the way to the door and told his assistant to clear his schedule. He’d taken a cab, while calling to the airport to schedule the first possible flight and ran into his house to grab his passport and overnight bag – his emergency bag with a set of clothes – before telling the driver to get him to the airport ASAP.

That had been over ten hours ago and he still didn’t know how she was doing. He turned his phone to ‘flight mode’ when boarding the plane, but apparently his battery was dead now and he didn’t take his charger with him. “How much longer?” He impatiently asked the driver.

“We’ll be there under ten minutes, Sir.”

Nodding, Jack sighed and tried to relax a bit. Ten more minutes until he could see her, and hear that everything was fine _…_ then again, if it hadn’t been serious, Ilse wouldn’t have called him. Well, she would, but she would’ve told him everything was going to be fine and that he really didn’t have to jump on the next available plane. Unfortunately, she hadn’t told him that. In fact, she’d almost encouraged him to come, which wasn’t a good sign at all.

Looking up again, Jack noticed the driver averting his glance. Well, at least the man wasn’t trying to make conversation, Jack grimly thought. The driver in DC had tried talking to him and had gotten Jack’s General glare for it in return. The cabdrivers here were always politer and knew when to shut up. Not to mention that their cars looked a lot better than those ugly, sometimes dirty yellow ones. Most of the drivers actually spoke English, which couldn’t always be said about the cabbies back home.

“Here we are,” the driver mentioned as he pulled up to the entrance. He quickly got out of the car and opened the door for his passenger.

“Thank you,” Jack murmured, giving him a hand full of cash.

“Sir, this is too much.”

Jack turned towards the man, surprised at his comment. “Huh?”

The driver gave him back a few bills, shrugging. “The meter wasn’t that high.”

Jack frowned at him and shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he replied, before stalking off to the reception.

“Goedemorgen, waar kan ik u mee helpen?” The tired looking receptionist asked.

Jack glanced at the clock on the wall behind her, noting it was indeed turning into morning already. He gave her a weak smile, “I’m looking for Lily O’Neill? She was brought in here over ten hours ago,” he answered her question.

“Um… let me see,” she cautiously answered with an accent. “Is that with an apostrophe between the ‘o’ and the ‘n’? And one or two l’s?”

“Yes and two.”

Her fingers were flying across the keys and she smiled up at him. “Found her. She’s in the, eh…” Looking around, she grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the room and ward number. “You go to the second floor, third corridor on your left and follow the red route to this ward,” she pointed at the paper. “There you can ask a nurse to take you to her room if one is present, if not you can look for yourself, this is the number. As you probably already know, visiting hours are long over, but I assume you just got here?”

“Yeah, straight from the plane,” Jack winked at her.

“I thought so,” she smiled again, slightly blushing. “I don’t think they’ll mind.”

Jack thanked her before taking off in the direction she had pointed.

* * *

 

“Hey,” Lily croaked with a sleepy voice as she noticed Jack’s lean form in the chair by her side.

His head snapped up at the sound of her voice, and he grinned at her. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Ilse?” She asked in a soft tone.

“Asleep in that bed,” Jack replied indicating the bed behind him with his head.

“How long have you been here?”

“A few hours.”

“And you’re sitting in a chair?”

Shrugging, Jack sat up. “I’ve had a lot of practice.”

“I would’ve thought you’d say you were getting too old for that kind of thing,” she teased.

“I resent that,” Jack retorted with mock hurt in his voice.

Smiling, she reached over to the remote and changed the angle of the bed to sit up more. “I’m not saying you’re getting old, I’m merely saying you always say that.”

“I do not,” he indignantly replied.

“Please, you always say that,” Ilse mentioned from behind him, with a hoarse voice. “And no, I don’t think you’re old.”

“Well, I can see you’re getting better by the minute,” Jack sarcastically said to Lily, who blushed in response. “How dare you two, ganging up on an old man!”

“Old man?” The doctor responded from the doorway.

“See Jack, the only one who thinks you’re old, is you,” Ilse said in a placating tone, as if explaining to a five year old. She sat on the side of Lily’s bed and hugged her sister. “Goedemorgen.”

“So, doctor, how is she doing?” Jack tried changing the subject.

The doctor walked up to the bed, chart in hand and was reading the notes made by the nightshift. “Considering, you’re doing better than I expected,” she started.

“But?”

“You’re not doing _great_ ,” she took a moment, before resuming. “I want to keep you here for observation.”

“Ooh, really?” Lily whined.

“Is it that bad?” Jack asked, concerned.

“You did collapse on stage,” the doctor pointed out to Lily. “That wasn’t from heat or dehydration… your body is tired, carrying twins is usually a lot more straining than just one child. Not to mention the cancer that’s working its way through your systems.”

Lily nodded her understanding, knowing she’d been exhausted lately. The pain was getting worse and she took regular naps to keep up her energy. She was taking few pain medications and many supplements for the babies, since she was still losing weight and couldn’t always keep her stomach contents, which was probably because of the cancer. “So, how long are we talking here?”

“I’m not sure yet, but it could be a while. I’ll confer with your oncologist, I want some new scans to see if the cancer is spreading and I want to hook you up to a baby monitor. I’ll be back in an hour, after making my rounds, then I’ll do another ultrasound and I’ll hook you up, okay?”

“Bedankt!” Lily thanked the doctor as she left the room.

The door was about to close behind the woman as it swung open again and a nurse came in with a trolley.

“Ontbijt,” she smiled, announcing breakfast.

Ilse got up from the bed and pulled Jack up with her. “We’ll go to the, eh… cafeteria, to get our own breakfast and that way I can call Mom to let her know and check on Milou.”

“Fine, see you later,” Lily muttered, grabbing her plate.

* * *

 

“Well, it doesn’t look too good, does–”

“Ack!” Ilse said, putting her hand in front of her. “I don’t want to talk about that right now,” she continued, putting her phone away. She had just informed her mother, who was already an emotional wreck and asked her to bring by Milou during visiting hours.

“Okay,” Jack drawled out. “What do you want to talk about? How’s your mother?”

“An emotional wreck, but she’ll live.”

“That’s, eh… harsh,” Jack replied.

Shrugging, Ilse took a sip of her tea. “She’s acting like she’s the one carrying twins and has cancer.” Moving her cup around, she looked up at Jack. “How did it go with Carter?”

“Huh?”

“You were supposed to call and meet her while she was in DC?” She asked, stunned that he appeared to have forgotten.

“Wha–” Jack uttered, before scrunching up his face. “Crap! I totally forgot.”

“You _forgot_? You didn’t call her?”

“We were supposed to have dinner last night,” Jack moaned. “You called as I was doing some paperwork and I guess it was a few hours before dinner…” his voice trailed off.

“And…?”

“I panicked, got up, told my assistant to clear my schedule and left,” he explained.

“But of course you called her on your way to the airport?” Ilse tried, but seeing the look he was giving her, she knew he hadn’t. “Wow, you really screwed up here. Go call her, before she thinks you blew her off.”

Jack gave her an incredulous look, thinking Carter probably already assumed that. “My phone died.”

“Use mine?”

“I don’t know her number by heart,” Jack replied.

Shocked, Ilse looked at him. “You don’t?”

“Well, I used to,” he bashfully admitted, “But she moved and has a new number and I don’t know her cell phone number…” He just had it on speed dial; memorizing would probably be frowned upon, seeing as it was her personal phone.

“Call the base?”

“All right,” he sighed, taking the phone she was shoving in his hands. “I’ll do it in a few hours; it’s too early right now.”

* * *

 

 “How was your breakfast?” Lily asked, as the two of them walked back into her room.

“Peachy,” Jack smiled at his little sister.

Ilse went back to her previous spot on the bed next to Lily. “I called Mom and she’s bringing by Milou during visiting hours.”

“Great, I can’t wait to see her,” Lily beamed, thinking about her little girl.

“Has the doctor been by already?” Ilse inquired, looking around for any evidence.

“No, she can be here any minute,” Lily responded just as the door opened to reveal the doctor. “Talking about timing,” she muttered.

“Hello everyone, this is one of my interns, she’ll be doing the ultra sound.”

They all greeted the young girl, who was about Lily’s age and smiled nervously at them. The intern started her explanation about the ultra sound as she was setting everything up, at first a bit hesitant in English but it got better the longer she was talking. “Do you already know the sex?”

Lily’s eyes grew wide as saucers and she became almost radiant. “No, can you tell me?”

Looking at the doctor for approval, the girl nodded and applied the gel on Lily’s round belly. Searching until the two babies were on the monitor, the intern quietly talked to the doctor, who nodded.

“It looks like the babies are still in distress,” the doctor explained. “This is why you’re staying right here until they aren’t.”

“Okay,” Lily agreed, knowing that it was dangerous for the babies, as the doctor had explained to her last night after her first check up.

“It looks like you’re going to have one of both,” the intern smiled at the proud mother.

“A boy and a girl?” Jack enthusiastically replied. “That’s great.”

“Wow, this is so cool,” Ilse mentioned as she leaned in further towards the monitor, studying the two babies.

The doctor froze the image, so that Ilse and Jack could continue to look at it while she hooked up Lily to the baby monitor. She explained what the machine would do and how it worked and before she left, she told Ilse that her oncologist would be there in half an hour.

While waiting for him to drop by, Lily joined her half-siblings in their gazing at her babies.

“Do you have names yet?” Ilse casually asked.

Smiling bashfully, Lily had a hard time looking at her sister. “Maybe a few…”

“And you want Ilse to check them out, don’t you?” Jack smirked, as he poked Ilse.

“Yeah, would you mind?”

“Of course not, besides, after what you put me through with Milou it won’t even take me that much time. I remember most of the names I’ve read,” she placed the back of her hand against her forehead in a mocking gesture.

The three of them continued to talk about baby names until the oncologist arrived, ready to examine Lily before taking her up for a few scans.

“We’ll wait outside,” Ilse said as she pushed Jack out of the room.

“Bye,” Jack yelled over his shoulder, before Ilse slammed the door shut.

“So…”

Quirking his eyebrows, he just looked at her. “What?”

“Are you going to call her?”

“Ah, crap,” Jack replied, rubbing his hand at the back of neck. He wasn’t looking forward to the conversation, that’s for sure. “Fine.”

* * *

 

“Carter,” Sam absentmindedly answered the phone in her lab, while watching her newest experiment.

 _“Hey Carter, it’s_ – _”_

“Sir!” She actually jumped a bit, hearing his low voice, not expecting him to call.

_“Yeah… I, eh… I wanted to apologize, Carter.”_

“It’s okay, Sir,” her tone belying her statement.

 _“No, it’s not. We were supposed to have dinner_ – _”_

“Something more important came up,” Sam interrupted him, trying to keep her tone casual, not letting the hurt shine through.

 _“Well, eh… yeah, there was an emergency and_ – _”_

“I see,” swallowing hard, she didn’t want to acknowledge the little stab she felt as he admitted something else had been more important. “Did it turn out okay, Sir?” _Always the good little soldier,_ Sam sneeringly thought.

 _“I- I hope so,”_ he lowered his voice.

“Good for you, Sir.”

 _“Carter_ – _”_

“You don’t have to explain, Sir. Last night said it all.”

 _“Please Carter, just let me expl_ – _”_

“Look, Sir. I get it, something earth shattering came up and you never even thought about calling me or leaving a message–”

 _“It’s not like that, Carter, my phone_ – _”_

“It’s fine, Sir,” she replied through gritted teeth. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get back to work.”

* * *

 

“Just wait a minute,” Jack started as he heard the beeping tone in his ear. She hung up on him!“Crap!” he exclaimed, banging his head against the wall in frustration. She thought she wasn’t important to him and he had heard the hurt in her voice, which was why he wanted to explain it all to her. Everything, he would tell her everything if she would just listen!

“Didn’t go so well, I take it?” Ilse asked, coming up behind him, putting her hand on his shoulder in a soothing gesture.

“You could say that,” Jack groaned, giving the wall a last kick, before turning to her. “She wouldn’t let me explain and hung up on me.”

“Oh, wow,” she replied, taken aback. “You must’ve really hurt her…”

“Yeah,” he sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. “I really screwed up. I don’t think she wants to talk anymore.”

“How come?”

“She may have something about last night saying it all…”

“Oh,” was all Ilse could say, not knowing how she could comfort him without telling lies. “Do you want a minute? I can just wait in Lily’s room; they already took her away for the scans…”

Looking up, Jack nodded. “I’ll be there in a few,” he said, letting out an exasperated sigh.

 


	29. Consequences

Lighting the last candle, Sam gently leaned back in her tub. She had decided she needed to relax and calm down, because she had been tense ever since walking up to General O’Neill’s office. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and slid down further until only her neck was above the water. The scent of lavender came through her nostrils and she let out a satisfied sigh. Opening her eyes again, she looked around, wondering where the vanilla scent was coming from. The General likes vanilla, she thought, blowing out the guilty candle with more force than necessary. She preferred lavender and didn’t want to be reminded of him by some candle. Nestling back in her previous position, she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering back to the last phone call they’d had.

In a way, he had made the choice she had been struggling with, she figured. By not calling her, practically standing her up, he had made it quite clear how much she meant to him. An emergency she could understand, but it wasn’t that hard to leave a message. Hell, he’d been in his office before storming out; his assistant could’ve taken a message! No, there was no good reason for his actions and she didn’t want to know what his lame explanation would be. That was the reason she cut him off and hung up the phone and why she hadn’t answered his other calls.

She didn’t want to admit it, but his admission – that something else had been more important – had hurt her, badly. More than she had expected, and that’s when she realized her feelings for him _were_ real. It wasn’t just a safe bet, a crush, hero worshipping or yearning for the unattainable… it went deeper than that, a lot deeper. The feelings were different from those she had for Pete, stronger. It scared her, that she could feel something that intense for another human being. He didn’t even understand how strong his influence on her was, how much power he held over her. She had been petrified when realization dawned on her, why she – unconsciously – had been reluctant to admit her feelings for him, to herself or anyone else.

If she were honest, she didn’t feel comfortable – and that’s putting it lightly – caring for, loving someone so fiercely and it scared her to death. Especially now that he didn’t seem to reciprocate her feelings, or at least not as strongly. Standing in her lab, with him on the other end of the line, she had been struck with fear as the full force of her feelings for him came raining down on her. She couldn’t let any man have such power over her, could she? Pete was safer, she cared for him, even loved him, but he could never hurt her as much as the General…

Besides, the General had told her he couldn’t offer her anything right now and who knew if their time would ever come? Would she want it to come? Could she live a life with him, have a family, knowing how strong her feelings for him were? While his feelings couldn’t compare to hers? Would that be enough? What if they did get together, someday and he would realize she wasn’t the one he wanted. She would probably die without him, after finally having him. At least, she would want to. That time would eventually come, because he deserved so much better than her. How could she ever captivate his heart or hold his attention? He was funny, charming, a gentleman, honorable, sexy, handsome, a general in the USAF, caring, protective, strong, compassionate and so much more. He could have any woman he’d want, why choose her? Mutual attraction was one thing, a lifelong commitment another.

She didn’t think he was old, older than her maybe, even if he kept saying it. He liked to play dumb, but she knew he understood a lot more than he was letting on or else he would’ve never made general or saved their asses so many times. He was a born leader, a real alpha male. She blushed, remembering the _Broca_ virus, and how she had tried to seduce him. According to Janet she had chosen him because he was the alpha male, but Sam thought it was because she had been extremely attracted to him from the beginning. He didn’t want her then and he didn’t want her as Therra – he ‘felt feelings’ but what did that even mean?

Frustrated by her own musings, she pulled the plug and started the shower. Scrubbing her skin until it saw red, she eventually stepped under the water and let it fall down on her head, cascading down her back and she rubbed herself clean. Turning off the faucet, she grabbed a towel and stepped out of the shower to get dressed.

Doing her everyday things, her thoughts were – once again – consumed by Jack O’Neill. Sam figured she’d better get out while she still could, before she would let him hurt her even more. To think that she had been contemplating leaving Pete to be with _him_ , while he couldn’t even remember to cancel an appointment with her. It had taken him about twenty-four hours – since he left the office – to call her and _apologize_. She daren’t imagine what she would’ve gone through if she had told him she’d leave Pete, cancel the wedding, the house, everything to be with him and he would’ve sat across her, staring and would eventually reject her… Pete loved her, wanted to give her a family – hell, he’d moved here without knowing she’d marry him. He was like a security blanket, she mused.

Would she be able to live with and love Pete, while the General was still in her life? She had been doing it for a while now, but it was different now she realized her feelings for _him_. On the other hand, could she live without his friendship? He meant so much to her, if friendship was all she could get from him, would she be better off without it or not? It made her doubt, because he’d been part of her life for almost a decade – invading her thoughts and dreams – working closely together in dangerous situations.

Making up her mind, she realized she still wanted him there for the wedding. Perhaps for closure? Seeing him stand there while getting married to another man, and having her thoughts about him confirmed would be a good thing. He felt attracted to her – a purely physical thing – but saw her as nothing more than a best friend, close to family. Well, he was flying in this weekend for the wedding – as were Dad and Cassie – let’s hope everything will go off without a hitch…

* * *

 

“Jack,” Daniel hugged him as the man opened the door. He was glad that SG-1 was on downtime while Sam was on light duty, because now he finally had the time – in between lending himself to other off-world teams – to visit Jack in DC.

“Daniel,” Jack grinned, clasping him on his back. “Come in.”

“I was surprised to hear you’re living in a brownstone,” Daniel casually mentioned as he followed Jack to the living room.

“Oh?”

“Sam told me, from when she was in DC.”

“How did she know?”

“I believe she Google-ed it,” Daniel bashfully admitted as he sat down. “Since you hadn’t mentioned a location for dinner? How did that go, by the way? I tried asking Sam about it, but she kept brushing me off…”

“Um… it didn’t,” Jack sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Want something to drink?”

Getting up and following him to the kitchen, Daniel frowned. “What do you mean, ‘it didn’t?’”

“I mean that we didn’t have dinner,” he explained. Ducking his head in the fridge he asked Daniel what he wanted.

“Are you saying you actually have something besides beer?” Daniel joked, looking past Jack. “Whoa, who are you and what did you do to Jack?”

“Funny,” Jack rolled his eyes. “Ilse did groceries before she left, she was probably afraid I wouldn’t buy some myself.”

“So she stocked every shelf of your fridge?”

Nodding, Jack got up, a bottle of juice in his hand. “You too?”

“Jack O’Neill drinking something other than beer?”

Hearing the disbelief in Daniel’s voice, Jack quirked an eyebrow. “You’ve got a problem with that, Space Monkey? I don’t want to become a fat, desk flying General,” he joked, rubbing his hand over his toned stomach to emphasize his words.

“Are you serious?”

Shrugging, Jack cocked his head. “Well, this stuff is actually pretty good… besides, Ilse mentioned something about me drinking a lot of beer,” he muttered under his breath.

“She told you to stop drinking beer?”

“No, nothing like that,” Jack replied, uncomfortable. “She just, eh… reminded me of my father, he was a heavy drinker, and it kinda got out of control after my mother died.”

To say that Daniel was shocked by this personal revelation was an understatement. “I see, well, I think it’s a good thing. You drinking less, I mean,” he said, grabbing a glass of the juice. “You still haven’t told me about dinner.”

“Don’t want a tour first?”

“Only if you’re still going to tell me and you’re not just using it to evade my question,” he retorted, already following Jack’s six.

“That’s a supply closet, storage closet, door to the basement, bathroom, study, empty room for which I don’t have any plans yet,” Jack mentioned as he pointed around him, while walking through the house. “Here’s the staircase.”

Daniel followed him upstairs, leaving his glass on a side table. “Guest room, guest room, washing room, master bedroom with an en suite, empty room and an extra bathroom. That is a hatch, leading to the attic and here,” Jack continued as he walked back to the master bedroom, “Is a door to the balcony.”

“A perfect spot for stargazing,” Daniel observed, smiling. “It looks great, Jack, unfinished but great. I’m just wondering why you have so many rooms?”

Turning around, Jack shrugged. “I liked the house, could afford it, and figured ‘why not,’” he vaguely explained. “Want to see the backyard?”

“Sure,” Daniel replied, turning on his heels walking towards the stairs. He quickly descended them, grabbed his glass of juice – which was quite good – and waited for Jack to lead the way. “So, about dinner?”

“Yeah, um… we played a game of phone tag and eventually had decided to have dinner at 1830 hours,” Jack told him, opening the double doors to the backyard. “Then there was a, eh… an emergency and I had to go and forgot to call Carter. In the plane my battery died, so I couldn’t turn on the phone. By the time I had a phone and remembered to call, she was pretty upset and told me ‘it’s fine, Sir’ before hanging up on me.”

“Wait, what? Sam hung up on you?” Daniel asked, stunned.

“Yeah, after that she wouldn’t answer my calls and she didn’t even let me explain,” he sighed. “So, this is it.”

Looking around him, Daniel grinned seeing the size of Jack’s backyard. “Wow, I had never imagined there were actually houses with backyards in DC, not to mention one of this size.”

“Yeah, it’s nothing like my place in Colorado Springs, but it’ll do,” Jack smirked, gesturing his hands wildly.

“You just forgot?”

“What?”

“To call Sam?”

Inhaling deeply, in an effort not to lose his temper, Jack turned to him. “At first, yes, I was kind of caught off-guard. After that, I didn’t have her number or my phone, so I had to wait for a proper time to call her at the base,” Jack answered, not telling the entire truth.

“And now she won’t talk to you?”

“Nope, although she _did_ call me today at the office, but that was all business.”

Standing on his toes, Daniel ducked his head. “Well, I can imagine her being a bit pissed off for you standing her up.”

“I know I screwed up, Danny and I can’t really blame her for not letting me explain,” he sighed again. They walked back to his house in a companionable silence and Jack thought back to the phone conversation with Carter earlier that day. She had called to inform him that – among other things – she had thought about things some more and still wanted to resign from SG-1. Apparently, General Landry had given Lt. Colonel Mitchell a new position on SG-1 and that was reason enough for her to want to leave – she thought it was irresponsible to have a rookie, in relation to off-world missions, join the flagship team. Jack secretly agreed with her, but Hank was the base commander, and as such capable to form the SG-teams as he saw fit. Jack decided to let it take its course for a while and step in if needed. Carter had pointedly informed him there was nothing he could do or say for her to change her mind and he had relented. He knew he couldn’t keep her there against her will – well, actually, he could, but he wouldn’t.

“What about the wedding?”

“What about it?”

“Are you still going?” Daniel inquired, stepping inside the house.

Jack plopped his lean frame down on his lounge and made himself comfortable. “Yeah, that was about the only personal thing she mentioned. She said that while she still wasn’t happy about DC, she didn’t want to lose our friendship and still wanted me to be at her wedding. Lucky me,” he sarcastically added.

“Yeah,” Daniel confirmed, nodding. “You’re coming to Colorado this weekend, right?”

“Yup.”

“Where will you be staying? I mean, if you want you can stay at my place,” Daniel offered.

Frowning, Jack looked at him. “Why?” He drawled out the word.

“Well, it’s either my place, Sam and Pete’s place – they actually offered I heard – or the base, right?”

“Right, or I’ll just stay at _my_ place,” Jack replied.

“Huh? I thought you sold your house?”

Now Jack really was confused. “What, why would you think that?”

“Sam told me she saw movers the other day, or perhaps builders, I don’t remember,” he scrunched up his nose, which led to him readjusting his glasses.

Shrugging, Jack nodded his head. “Yeah, they’re doing some renovating.”

“Why?”

“Well, that was the plan for a while,” Jack lied, “But since I was always at home or off-world, there wasn’t time or room for them to be traipsing around my place.”

“So, now there is?”

“Yeah,” Jack smirked. “Most of my stuff is here now, only some furniture is left so there’s plenty of room.”

“Okay, well, I’ll tell Sam.”

“Tell her Cassie is staying with me as well,” Jack responded, getting up. “Don’t look at me like that; Cass was the one who asked me.”

Smiling sheepishly, Daniel apologized for jumping to conclusions – thinking Jack decided that Cassie would be staying with him instead of Sam.

“How about some dinner?”

 


	30. Eavesdropping

“What are you reading?” Daniel asked, setting down his plate and taking a seat across from her.

Looking up, Sam smiled. “Hey Daniel, I’m just going over some test results from the device SG-11 brought back…” Her voice trailed off and she redirected her attention back to the report in front of her.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Daniel studied her. She seemed a bit paler than usual, more tired and he even saw a little stress line. “Is everything okay Sam? You look a bit pale and tired,” Daniel decided not to mention the stress line, knowing it would only have a contrary effect.

“Oh, must be the wedding stuff,” she responded absentmindedly, making a vague gesture with her hands.

Daniel cocked his head and willed her with his eyes to look at him – which didn’t work. “Wedding _stuff_? Correct me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t you be overjoyed or ecstatic or something?”

This time Sam did look up and she frowned. “Well, my sincerest apologies for not going out of my mind with joy while I have to make last minute arrangements for a huge wedding I don’t want.”

“What?” Daniel asked, baffled. “You don’t want the wedding?”

“No! No, I meant, eh… I never wanted a _huge_ wedding,” she stammered. “Just a small gathering with my friends and family. However, everyone else seemed to think I _needed_ to have a rather large gathering, going all out. For some reason they all thought I would realize how much fun it would be along the way… it’s just a few days ahead and I don’t see the fun, Daniel,” she responded through gritted teeth. “It all seems so meaningless; picking out flowers and cake, making seating arrangements while there is this new enemy taking over our galaxy.”

“Oh,” Daniel nodded and took a bite of oatmeal. “Yeah, I can understand that…”

Flipping the page, Sam gave him a small smile. “Where were you the last few days? At first I thought you were off-world with one of the other teams, but you weren’t. I checked the infirmary–”

“Funny, Sam.”

“–and they hadn’t seen you for over a week – I think the nurses miss you, Daniel – and when I called your apartment no one answered,” she commented, holding his gaze.

“Well, I wasn’t at home or the base, I was on this planet, however,” he smirked. “I was in DC.”

Squinting at him, Sam cocked her head to the side while poking in her blue jello. “Why were you in Washington?”

“Oh, just visiting Jack,” he casually replied, noting how her spoon with jello froze midair.

“You went to see the General?” Sam almost squealed. She quickly cleared her throat and continued. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Shrugging, Daniel took another sip of his coffee. “I don’t know, I’m telling you now aren’t I?”

“Well, yes, but you could’ve told me before you left.”

“I guess… then again, it’s not like _you_ tell _me_ everything.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Leaning back in his chair, Daniel crossed his arms in a defensive manner. “You evaded my questions about Washington, not telling me about the meetings and ignoring my questions about dinner with Jack.”

“Daniel, I didn’t mean to… I- I didn’t do that on purpose,” she sighed, frustrated.

“Are you sure about that, Sam? Jack had no trouble telling me all about dinner – or should I say lack thereof?”

Rubbing the back of her neck, Sam scrunched up her nose, thinking about her reply. “Look, it was an awkward situation and I didn’t feel like talking about it, okay?”

“Fine,” he relented.

He went back to his breakfast and saw her do the same. When they both finished, Daniel looked up to see her reading the rest of her report. “So, I’ve already seen Jack’s new place, when do I get to see yours? Are you having a housewarming?” He asked, trying to get a conversation going.

“You went to his house?”

“Yeah, it’s really nice. Rather big though, but Jack seemed to like it, even if it was still a bit bare,” he grinned.

“Oh,” Sam commented. She couldn’t help herself imagine his house, wondering what it looked like. “With the wedding and everything, I figured we didn’t need a housewarming, but Pete suggested we’d invite some people over this weekend. Nothing fancy, just friends coming by, checking out our new house before the wedding. It will probably be one of the last times we’ll be able to actually talk comfortably and relax with friends, before the wedding and the honeymoon,” she smiled a bit. “I find it hard to imagine not being here for over two weeks…”

“You think it’s weird for you? I heard all the techs are already panicking and the rest of the personnel… well, let’s just say everyone’s praying no one is going to attack us while you’re gone,” he teased her.

“Indeed,” Teal’c said as he sat next to Daniel. “It will be a strange occurrence, Colonel Carter.”

“You guys are overreacting,” Sam chuckled. “Besides, I just got here after days of absence with being recovering, and all.”

“That’s just making it worse, Sam. Think about it, that time plus two and a half weeks… that’s just about asking for an attack.”

“Of course it is, Daniel,” she poked his shoulder. “I should get back to work.”

“Oh, Sam? Jack asked me to tell you that Cassie was staying with him,” Daniel casually mentioned over his shoulder as Sam was leaving.

Freezing midstride, Sam turned on her heels. “What?”

“Yeah, we were talking and then he told me to tell you that Cassie was staying with him this weekend.”

“He just decided that?” She asked, almost fuming.

Daniel instinctively moved away from her and held up his hands. “He said she asked him…”

“Oh,” Sam quieted down, thinking. “So, what? They’re going to stay in a hotel together?”

“No, in his house… apparently, he didn’t sell it,” Daniel explained.

Frowning, she replied. “What?”

“Yeah, I told him you thought he had, but he said they were renovating some stuff,” he shrugged.

“Okay,” Sam casually retorted. “I’ll tell Pete Cassie won’t be staying with us… I really have to get going, guys.”

“Bye.”

“I must take my leave as well.”

* * *

 

Closing up her lab, Sam grabbed her last papers and headed to the locker room. It was already getting late and luckily, there wasn’t anyone in the elevator on her way down. She had thought about just leaving in her BDUs, but decided against it even if it meant she had to go down to the locker room – risking running into anyone who might need her help – only to go back up again. The corridors were nearly empty and she only ran into an airman from the skeleton crew. She quickly slipped into the room after seeing Siler round the corner – she didn’t even want to know why he was still here…

It took her less than a minute to pull of her BDUs and she decided to take a quick shower as well. That way she wouldn’t have to shower before going to bed and at least there would still be warm water here… after the shower, she donned her civvies and grabbed her bag – paperwork included – before stealthily moving towards the elevator. Ready for her escape, she stepped into the car and pushed the button taking her closer to topside. Just before the doors closed, she saw Siler again and gave him a quick wave – glad he was too far away to stop her from leaving. It couldn’t be a life threatening emergency, since the ’gate had been fully functional a few hours before and Siler hadn’t been working on that.

Stretching her tall frame, she could feel some of the tension leaving her back and shoulders. The only reason she’d been working late this week was because she had to catch up from her forced medical leave and only now she started to realize everything was about to change. After the wedding, she would be gone for two and a half weeks, after which she would come back to the SGC as a scientist. General O’Neill had told her he would allow her to step down if she insisted and she had. She wasn’t going to be on the front lines anymore, wouldn’t be holding a P-90 on a daily basis – unless there was some sort of experiment which required it – and wouldn’t travel through the ’gate anymore.

Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable – _just the idea of change, Samantha._ In a way, it wasn’t strange for her to have mixed feelings about it, she thought. After all, she had been working on the front lines for almost ten years now and she wasn’t getting any younger or healthier. But she was getting happier, right? Marrying Pete would give her that family she was almost yearning for, wouldn’t it? Sighing, she switched elevators and started thinking about this weekend. Dad would be arriving tomorrow and she would just pray to whatever God was out there that he would ‘behave.’ She had enough on her mind already – with the General and such – and didn’t need him seeding doubts or letting her know that he didn’t approve of Pete. Well, he hadn’t exactly put it that way, but knowing her father he didn’t.

Signing out, she started contemplating whether to call Cassie. If she were honest, she would admit that it had hurt her when Daniel told her Cassie would be staying with the General. For a moment, she had felt her angry feelings from before rising to the surface, and was getting mad at the General for taking Cassie away from her. Of course, she knew he would never do that, at least, not on purpose. To hear Daniel explain that it in fact had been Cassie that asked the General if she could stay with him was even more painful. Grabbing her phone, she hit speed dial. Cassie – being the student living on campus – of course didn’t answer and Sam let out an exasperated sigh. It wouldn’t be long until she saw her again and perhaps then they could talk. She felt as if they were losing their connection and she didn’t want that. When she first started noticing, she’d assumed it was because Cassie was becoming a young woman and wanted to live her own life. Then she realized it was something between them, considering the General and Cassie were getting closer at the same time.

Realization hit her as she stepped into her car; how could she ever distance herself from the General if they still ‘shared’ Cassandra? It would be safer to keep her distance, to not let her feelings for him show and she’d thought physical distance might do the trick. Perhaps that was what he’d been thinking when he suggested to her to accept the other job offer. Maybe he just wanted her even further away from him, seeing as he still had to visit the SGC on occasion.

* * *

 

“No, that’s okay,” Jack replied.

_“Are you sure?”_

“Yes, Ilse, I’m sure I can handle it. I’m a big boy now, you know,” he joked, smirking at the receiver.

_“I know, it’s just… the entire situation, I don’t feel comfortable about it.”_

“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he drove down his old street.

_“I’d talk to her.”_

“No, you won’t.”

 _“Jack_ – _”_

“Look, I’ll try to talk to her at this little housewarming of hers and I’ll let you know.”

_“You’re going to talk to her about work, aren’t you?”_

“What else is there to say?” He pulled up his driveway and parked the car.

_“Tell her you love her and that she doesn’t have to marry that loser.”_

“Yeah, well, you remember the last time you suggested something along those lines? It didn’t go so well,” he sighed, rubbing his face.

 _“I know, I’m sorry,_ ” she apologized. _“That’s why I want to talk to her, explain it…”_

“No–”

 _“Jack, come on, what harm could come of it? She’s already planning on marrying that_ cop _, eh…_ _‘Wie niet waagt, wie niet wint,’ you know?”_

“Um… I believe you mean ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained,’” he commented.

_“Exactly my point!”_

“Yet the answer is still no.”

 _“Jack_ – _”_ She tried again, but Jack interrupted her.

“It’s kind of cliché, don’t you think?”

 _“They are clichés for a reason,”_ she reasoned.

“Well, here’s another one for you: ‘you can’t win them all.’”

_‘It’s not over till it’s over.”_

“You win some, you lose some.”

_“No pain, no gain.”_

“All good things must come to an end.”

_“It’s never too late to mend.”_

“A word spoken is past recalling,” he retorted, remembering how hurt Carter had sounded when he’d said something else was more important…

_“Actions speak louder than words.”_

“Yeah, well, you’re barking up the wrong tree here, she says he makes her happy.”

_“All that glisters is not gold.”_

“Yeah, I know, I wasn’t born yesterday… but even if I could – and wanted to – stop her, there are still those pesky frat regs, remember?”

 _“Simple, rules were meant to be broken,”_ she chuckled.

“Not this one, Ilse… God, this whole thing it’s like catch-22; damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

_“Faint heart ne’er won fair lady, Jack.”_

“Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes,” he huffed.

_“All cats love fish but hate to get their paws wet… and in this case all’s fair in love and war, because the ends justify the means.”_

He snorted, shaking his head. “Going a bit overboard, are we? You know, cliché’s notwithstanding, but life does not come with any guarantees.”

_“Life is what you make of it.”_

“So I hear and yet… you know,” he groaned. “The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them, knowing you can’t have them.”

_“I know, but isn’t fifty percent of something better than one hundred percent of nothing?”_

“I think I’ll be losing my fifty percent pretty soon…”

_“Desperate times call for desperate measures, Jack.”_

“What, I should just go over to her – _their_ – house and put myself out there – _again_ – because there’s no time like the present?”

_“Infatuations are a plenty. Love is rare; you of all people should know that.”_

Thinking, Jack recalled some of his mother’s wise words. “My mother used to say: ‘If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don’t, they never were.’”

_“That’s what you’re trying to do? Be the better man, see if she truly ever was yours? In that case, let me remind you that you never know what you have till it’s gone…”_

“Ilse, I’m already at my house,” he interrupted her, not wanting her to change his mind. “I’ll talk to her this weekend, and I’ll let you know…”

 _“Fine,”_ she relented.

Hanging up the phone, he walked up to his old place and opened the door. Stepping in, he noticed everything looked almost the same as he’d left it, and he couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing or not. One would assume builders would make a mess or at least leave some evidence of doing some actual work… he did a quick check of the perimeter and found some evidence at the back. Everything looked good and he quickly got his bag out of the car, before heading to the bathroom. Cassie would be landing in an hour and a half and he’d told her he’d pick her up from the airport. Jack was looking forward to spending some time with Cassie; after all it had been a while since they last saw each other… _Damn, now I’m reminded of Carter’s engagement party_ , he sighed.

* * *

 

“So, that’s about it,” Sam said nervously. “Here is the kitchen, the last stop before we move out to the garden.”

“It looks great, Sam,” Daniel enthusiastically said after the tour, trying to compensate for the silence from Jack, Jacob and Teal’c. “What do you guys think?”

“Yeah, it looks real nice, Sammie,” Jacob smiled, patting her on the shoulder.

“Thanks Dad,” she responded, remembering he said the exact same thing about Pete after their first encounter at General Hammond’s barbecue.

“Indeed it does, Colonel Carter, Pete Shanahan,” Teal’c solemnly stated, before turning to Jack.

“It’s very different from your old place, it’ll take some getting used to,” Cassie explained, throwing an arm around Sam.

Seeing everyone looking at him expectantly, Jack turned around for a last good observation of the kitchen. “You know what’s been bothering me the entire time? Something about this place reminds me of something.”

“What?” Sam exclaimed at his vague admission. Realizing her mistake, she quickly added a belated “Sir”.

“Indeed,” Teal’c inclined his head, clearly in agreement with O’Neill.

“There is something off here, however,” Jack continued, ignoring Carter’s little outburst. “Teal’c, what is missing here?”

“I do not know, O’Neill, it is missing.”

Turning back to the Jaffa, he quirked his eyebrows. “You’re right, T,” he said, before taking another pensive stance. “Aaah, I know! The kitchen… do you remember, Teal’c? One of those magazines of yours – home decorating or something – had a house in the exact same style a while ago, only the kitchen was yellow!”

“Really, Sir?” Sam asked through gritted teeth, knowing he’d fully known that was the house she’d pointed out at a team night and it was the house she had described to Pete on their first night together.

“Yeah, Carter, really! What a coincident!” Jack smirked at her.

Sam was saved by the bell – or rather, the General was safe from her thanks to the doorbell – and Pete immediately told them to go to the garden and he’d open the door. They all went outside, except for Jack and Cassie, because they were going to walk her dog before joining the rest.

* * *

 

“Hey buddy,” Pete exclaimed, smacking the other man on his back.

“Shandy, it’s good seeing you again! I was surprised to hear about the wedding!” David Farrity said as he greeted his old friend. “I mean, you were lucky your ex-wife wanted to marry you and now you’re engaged again!”

Pete laughed with Dave as they walked out to the garden, grabbing two bottles of beer as they passed the kitchen. “What, you don’t believe me?”

“I admit, I only came to see the proof with my own eyes,” Dave joked.

“She’s right over there,” Pete said proudly, gesturing towards Sam. “Come, I’ll introduce you.”

David followed Pete’s gaze and saw a tall blonde talking to two men about her age and one older man. He quickly followed Pete after taking a sip of his beer and casting a quick glance over the yard out of habit.

“Sam, I want to introduce you to an old buddy of mine. He couldn’t make it to the engagement party, but luckily he could get here now and he’s staying in town for the wedding,” Pete smiled, waiting for Farrity to catch up with him. “Sam, this is FBI Special Agent David Farrity, Dan this is my fiancée Sam.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Sam gave him one of her megawatt smiles while shaking his hand.

“Sure is,” Dave muttered under his breath, only for Pete’s ears to hear.

“Um, these are friends of mine from work. This is Doctor Daniel Jackson and Murray Teal’c,” Sam mentioned, motioning to her friends. “And this is my father.”

“A pleasure,” Dave nodded, winking at Pete. If he were honest, he never would’ve imagined his old buddy ending up with a beauty like that.

Turning to her latest guest, Sam tried to make conversation. “So, you’re with the FBI… I’m sure Pete is extremely happy that you could take so much time off from work for the wedding.”

Clearing his throat, “Er, yeah… well, actually, I’m on leave for the moment pending an investigation in our department – we all are,” he responded, clearly uncomfortable.

Sam took the hint, apparently things weren’t going so well and she could tell by Pete’s face he was stunned as well.

“Really, why is that?” Daniel asked innocently. “I mean, wouldn’t it be a bit strange to put an entire department on leave?”

“Perhaps someone stuffed their nose where it didn’t belong… you know, doing unofficial background checks on girlfriends or helping out a friend without going through the proper channels. You hear it all the time,” Jack casually mentioned as he joined the group. Having been in special ops _and_ black ops for years, he would’ve noticed the nervous expression on the man’s face with his eyes closed.

“Am I correct to assume that misusing one’s power in such a manner would result in the loss of one’s job?” Teal’c inquired.

“Yeah, sure you bet’cha, T,” Jack smirked. “Carter?”

Noticing the look the General was giving her, Sam unconsciously straightened her back. “Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is Special Agent David Farrity with the FBI–”

“Howdy, that would be Major General John J. O’Neill with two l’s,” Jack smirked, emphasizing his last words by holding up two fingers of his left hand, while shaking the other man’s hand with his right. “So, tell me, are you a friend of the cop or the Colonel?”

“Pete and I are old buddies… wait, what? Colonel?” David inquired, again exchanging a nervous look with Pete. He wasn’t stupid and clearly recognized the General’s name as the one Pete had asked him to check out a few weeks ago. And it appeared as if the General was clearly aware of this…

“Yes, she just introduced you?” Jack said with exasperation. “Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, PhD,” he said her full name on purpose – as he had done with his own – making sure the fed knew exactly why he was put on non-active during the investigation.

“But you can call me Sam,” Sam quickly said, noting the confusion on Pete’s friends face. She wondered what this was all about, what the General was playing at. Perhaps he wanted to remind her that she was still in the USAF, even after her decision to leave SG-1 and still thinking about resigning…

“Well, I, eh… I had no idea,” David stammered, throwing an accusing glance at Pete. “Pete always calls you Sam, when he’s talking about you.”

“Really?” Jack asked in a disbelieving tone, before Daniel grabbed him by his arm.

* * *

 

“Daniel…” Jack said in a warning tone.

“Not now,” Daniel hissed, pulling Jack further into the house. In the kitchen he paused, looking around for a good place to talk in private.

“It really should be yellow,” Jack murmured, while waiting for Daniel to do or say something to explain his weird behavior.

Daniel signaled Jack to follow him to the living room, but once there he remembered the door to the study on his left and told Jack to get in.

“Fine,” Jack rolled his eyes, opened the door and walked into the study. “You know, I wonder why Carter and the cop need a study… Carter’s always pulling late nights and even if she wanted to, there’s hardly anything she can take home with her and the cop has a desk at his precinct.”

“I didn’t ask you to come here to talk about that,” Daniel sighed, closing the door behind him.

“Ask?” Jack inquired, motioning to his arm.

“Whatever,” Daniel muttered under his breath, before standing in front of Jack. “What are you doing?”

“Well… right now, I’m having a very confusing conversation with you, Doctor Jackson,” Jack remarked.

“I’m talking about this,” he gestured wildly around him. “Sam and Pete and why you’re just standing there, being okay with everything.”

Sighing, Jack ruffled his hand through his hair. “Daniel…”

“Tell me, Jack. Explain to me why you’re just letting her go, letting her marry to a guy that doesn’t deserve her.”

Jack’s head snapped up at his words and he must have looked confused, because Daniel’s face softened a bit.

“Yeah Jack, we – Cassie, Jacob, Teal’c, the entire SGC and I – all know Pete isn’t right for her, and we all know it should be you. Dammit, you and I both know it should be you! You guys have been through so much together, never letting your feelings stand in between you two and your duty and honor, or whatever. And now, after eight years you’re just going to let her marry another man?”

Surprised to hear Daniel cursing, Jack grinned a bit. “Daniel, I’m not letting her do anything. Carter is a grown woman, who can make her own decisions and she obviously chooses the cop.”

“We both know Sam is a genius, a soldier, but most of all – a scientist. As a scientist, she weighs every decision she makes and she can’t make the right decision if not properly informed,” Daniel explained in a placating tone.

He frowned, completely confused as to what he was getting at. “What are you talking about?”

“Jack, she probably thinks you don’t care about her since you haven’t done anything to prove her otherwise. You practically encouraged her to accept his proposal!”

“That’s not true, Daniel–”

“It’s not? Because that’s what Sam told me, that’s how _she_ perceived it, Jack! What I want to know, is when you’re going to pull your head out of your ass and realize that you’re losing her if you don’t tell her how you feel!”

Jack’s own emotions were stirred up by Daniel’s angry words and he had to keep himself from shouting. “I’ve told her and she made her decision, Danny-boy.”

“Are you sure, because I know you don’t like to talk ‘feelings’ and that–”

“Daniel!” Jack’s shout interrupted him, and Jack took a moment to keep his self-control, before continuing. “Do you remember the quarantine a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah, the evil spores…?”

“That would be the one, yes. I went to her then and we talked – well, mostly I talked and she listened. After that she almost thanked me for being so open and informed me that she was still going to marry the cop because I was too late,” he sarcastically said.

“What? I had no idea–”

“No, you didn’t. No one did and that’s the way I like to keep it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Daniel asked, hurt sounding through his voice.

“It’s not exactly one of my finest moments, Daniel,” Jack sneered.

Nodding, he came up to Jack and pulled him into a man hug. “I’m sorry, if I’d known I wouldn’t have…”

“It’s fine,” Jack said, pulling backwards.

“And after that…?”

“The week she came to Washington we’d called and she mentioned something about having doubts,” Jack uncomfortably admitted. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up and get hurt again,” he bashfully explained. “So I told her we shouldn’t talk about it… she sounded hurt, so I told her we’d talk in person–”

“Which was why she wanted to have dinner with you!” Daniel exclaimed.

“Yeah–”

“Oooh,” realization struck Daniel. “That’s why she was so mad and hurt.”

“I’m afraid so,” Jack shrugged. “There really was an emergency, Daniel,” Jack continued seeing the question rise on the younger man’s face. “It was a life or death kind of thing and Ilse–”

“Jack,” Daniel interrupted him, holding his hand up. “I can understand you want to move on–”

“Daniel, that’s not it, just let me explain,” Jack started, before Daniel interrupted him again.

“No Jack, just hear me out.”

“All right,” Jack rolled his eyes; he could explain everything after Daniel’s little speech.

“Sam was first to move on as she started dating Pete, which was about the time she came back from _Prometheus._ I always thought that experience did something, made her realize her own mortality or something which is why she decided to try and move on,” Daniel looked at Jack, who nodded at him, so he continued.

“Things got more serious, but it was obvious Sam wasn’t ready yet since she took over two weeks to accept his proposal, which is why Teal’c and I were hoping she’d come to her senses. I tried to talk to her, without pushing her too much but it didn’t work. Pete went out and bought this house and you didn’t seem to be doing anything to stop her – which I know now isn’t true,” he quickly added. “So I can understand that you wanted to move on, first with Kerry which didn’t work out – I’m glad by the way, because I didn’t really like her. Now with Ilse – Jack, let me finish,” Daniel rolled his eyes and stomped his foot on the floor like a little boy. “You’re trying to move on, but we both know that Sam is the one for you. That woman out there,” Daniel pointed towards the garden with his hand, slightly raising his voice, “is the one you love, the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, who you would do anything for…”

Looking at him, pensively, Jack cocked his head to the side and with a slightly rough voice, he responded. “Oh yeah, is she, Daniel?”

* * *

 

It hadn’t been her intention at all, but walking into the kitchen for drinks, Sam realized she’d left her cell phone in the living room during the tour of the house. As she walked towards the living room, she could hear two male voices, which she easily recognized as Daniel’s and the General’s. She had wondered where the two of them had gone off to and apparently, they needed to have a conversation in her study – about her it seemed. The polite thing was to leave and she really wanted to, but her legs refused to walk. She knew people always said eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves and hearing the response from the General, she froze on the spot, cell phone dropping out of her hand – cliché confirmed.

 


	31. The Weekend Before

Wondering what was keeping Sam, Cassie walked up to the house. Maybe she needs help with the drinks, she thought. Looking around, she noticed the empty glasses and bottles on the counter, but there was no sign of Sam. Leaving the kitchen, she padded over to the living room, where she saw Sam – frozen, her eyes focusing on the floor.

“Sam?” Cassie walked up to her and following her gaze, she noticed the cell phone lying on the floor. Leaning down, she picked it up and held it out to Sam, who was still looking like she’d seen a ghost. “Relax Sam; it’s just a cell phone. Those things are pretty though nowadays and even if it was banged up a bit, I’m sure you could fix it,” she smiled, shoving it in the other woman’s hands.

“What?” Sam asked, blinking at Cassie, before looking down to see her cell phone in her hands. “Oh, yeah right,” she gave a small smile. She couldn’t tell Cassie about what she’d just heard; she needed to be alone to think.

The two men in the study had been quiet after the General’s reply to Daniel’s little speech. Closing her eyes again, Sam tried to get rid of the dread she was feeling after overhearing them. The only reason she’d known they were in there, was because they had almost been shouting at each other as she walked into the living room. Well, perhaps not shouting, but there had definitely been raised voices, she mused.

Only as she went further inside, and stood next to the door, had she been able to overhear them, actually hear and understand what they were saying. The first thing she’d heard was Daniel saying something about dinner and then the General mentioned that earth shattering – okay, so he called it life threatening and apparently had something to do with his new _girlfriend_ – emergency, after which Daniel interrupted him and eventually started his little speech.

She followed Cassandra out of the room and absentmindedly poured the drinks – the reason why she’d actually come inside – while the General’s voice kept going through her head. As Daniel had been talking, her heart had fluttered as he talked about the General loving her, only for it to come crashing down hearing Jack O’Neill’s retort. Swallowing hard, Sam tried to keep her emotions under control. She had known… dammit, she had known! Wasn’t that why she had decided to stay with Pete, to go through with the wedding, knowing he actually loved her and would never be capable of hurting her the way her CO could? Nevertheless, to actually hear him deny that he loved her – God, it felt like something inside her had died!

* * *

 

A heavy silence had consumed the atmosphere in the study after Jack’s words and the two men were staring at each other, as if they were in a standoff. Jack’s hands were fidgeting with the hem of his dark blue sweater as Daniel was rubbing his chin, both deep in thought.

Finally, Daniel broke the silence. “Jack, what are you saying? Are you denying that you’ve been in love with Sam for years?” He asked incredulous.

“Daniel…” Jack started.

“No, you can’t just say that and get away with it,” he replied resolutely, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. “Perhaps you can fool other people, but Teal’c and I have known about your feelings for years and you can’t just imply that now all of a sudden you don’t love her. What, it appears that she chose someone else over you and your feelings for her just disappear? I don’t think so.”

“Okay,” Jack sighed, rubbing his face. “You’re right; I’ve been in love with her for God knows how long,” he bashfully admitted. “Probably close to nine years,” he grinned, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m not saying that my feelings for her are gone, in fact they’ve only grown stronger over the last years.”

Daniel nodded, encouraging Jack to continue with their serious man-to-man talk. “Yeah, go on.”

Jack looked down, grabbed a pen from the desk, and fiddled with it. “I can’t blame her for wanting a normal life; it’s something she’s been craving for the last few years… I understand that, I do,” he quickly added. “In our line of work, normalcy is way out there and all of us could probably benefit from a touch of normality.” Taking a deep breath, he continued. “In a way I’m happy for her that she apparently found it, on the other hand I can’t help feeling cast aside. I know that she deserves it all, Daniel and that’s why I didn’t stop her from accepting his proposal – she told me he makes her happy and that’s all that counts, isn’t it?”

“Jack.” Daniel wanted to comfort his friend and was searching for the right words – for a linguist he could be at such a loss sometimes.

“No, let me finish,” Jack said, putting up his hand. He’d lose his nerve if Daniel kept interrupting him. “If the cop makes her happy, then that’s enough for me–”

“Then why did you–”

“Daniel… like I said before, I’ve loved her for years,” saying it aloud still spooked him. “But now? I don’t know anymore, that ‘woman out there’ you were referring to, that’s not the Carter I love,” he stated.

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked, confused.

Shrugging, Jack cast his eyes downward. “She’s changed, Daniel. I don’t know when and how exactly, but I can tell. She can’t seem to make up her mind; one moment she is rejecting me and the next she tells me she’s having second thoughts and I don’t know what to do anymore. She’s been neglecting Cassie for months, is unfocused which led to her getting shot and she almost died had it not been for you and Teal’c. She’s hesitant, quick to jump to conclusions…” His voice trailed off and he focused his gaze on a spot in the carpet.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed some of that as well… however, that doesn’t mean she isn’t the same Sam we all know and love,” Daniel offered.

“Are you sure about that? Because the Carter I know and love is a strong, compassionate woman, a kick-ass soldier, a brilliant scientist, an explorer who loves to meet new races and traipse around the galaxy. She’ll lose track of time because of some doohickey she’s playing with, will hardly eat or sleep when someone she cares about is in trouble and needs her to find a solution. She enjoys renovating her Indian, loves playing around with mechanics, and doesn’t mind helping others on base. That Carter is an adrenaline junkie, who loves space races and takes her bike out on the road, to escape for a while – when is the last time you heard her about her motorcycles or Volvos? I haven’t even seen them around here. She’s easy going, makes friends on all kinds of planets and would do anything for a loved one. This Carter? I don’t know her anymore, I used to be able to read her like a book; we didn’t need words to communicate – on or off the field.”

“Well, that could be just because of the situation and the upcoming wedding,” Daniel unsuccessfully tried, not believing it himself.

“Did you know she’s thinking about resigning?”

Frowning, Daniel looked at him. “You mean she doesn’t want command of SG-1 anymore? I guess that was to be expected, after all, we can’t keep it up forever. Nevertheless, I would’ve preferred her telling me herself,” he said, biting his lip. “Well, it’s not all bad, this way Teal’c can go back to Dakara and perhaps I can go to Atlantis…” Daniel realized this was another one of the changes he and Jack had both noticed; normally she would come to him, to talk about this before making a decision.

“No, I’m not talking about stepping down as team commander, Danny, she’s thinking about resigning from the Air Force,” Jack huffed.

“What?” Daniel exclaimed, shocked. “Are you sure?”

“Oh yeah, she’s been thinking about it for a few weeks now… well, probably longer, but she told _me_ a few weeks ago. After the shooting incident she asked to be relieved of command, effective immediately.”

“Well, that obviously didn’t happen,” Daniel remarked. Noticing the lack of response, he looked up. “It didn’t, did it?”

“Not immediately, it was one of the things she wanted to talk about in DC, I think. I was able to convince her to think about it some more, because the cop and her had been talking about it. The day before you came to DC, she called my office and told me she still wanted to step down and that she was sure. So, I relented,” Jack sighed. “When she gets back from her _honeymoon_ ,” he spat out the word, “She’ll no longer be in command and will probably spend her days working in her lab.”

“I can’t imagine her doing something so drastic without talking to me and Teal’c,” Daniel replied, still a bit in shock from the information. “I can’t imagine her not going through the ’gate anymore; I doubt she’ll be able to just work in her lab all the time…”

Hearing his voice trail off, Jack nodded. Straightening, Jack inhaled sharply, ready to drop the next bomb. “Do you know why she was in DC in the first place?”

“No, she didn’t know and afterwards she was reluctant to talk about it. I assumed it was because of the, eh… you know,” Daniel said, trying to avoid to mention their missed dinner.

“The JCS and the President offered her a reassignment,” Jack started, unsure how to bring it.

“What, where, Area 51?”

“No–”

“The Alpha or Gamma Site?” Daniel inquired.

“No, nothing, eh… in this galaxy,” he hesitantly replied.

Daniel’s eyes almost turned into saucers as realization dawned on him. “You’re saying they want her at _Atlantis_?”

“Yeah, as base commander to be precise,” Jack answered, shrugging as if it was no big deal, while they both knew it was.

“Wow,” Daniel exclaimed. “That’s great, I mean, I don’t want her to go, but it’s a great opportunity!”

“It is,” Jack agreed. “This is why I find it strange she hasn’t made a decision, yet.”

“She hasn’t?” Daniel asked confused. “Well, she probably wanted to discuss it with Pete…”

“Probably… however, in our phone conversation earlier this week, she hinted that she wasn’t taking it.”

Stunned, Daniel didn’t know how to react to that. “Really? That doesn’t sound like Sam…”

“That’s what I thought,” Jack admitted. “They want her there, because of her experience, which is why they’re thinking of promoting her to full bird,” he couldn’t help sounding a bit proud.

“What did you tell her?”

“I said it was a great opportunity for her career and that she should take it; she sure as hell deserves it.”

“Yeah, she does, but…?”

“Her response, it was… unCarter-like,” Jack sighed. “It was almost as if she thought I wanted her to move to another galaxy, which I don’t.”

“Now you’re thinking this is another one of the reasons she’s contemplating leaving the USAF?”

“Yeah…”

* * *

 

“Sammie, are you all right?” Jacob asked, worried about her pale complexion as she and Cassie came back outside.

Nodding, Sam tried to reassure him, but if she were honest, she was anything but all right. “Just a bit tired, I guess,” she said instead. She handed everyone their drinks and tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind.

“Where’s Jack?” Cassie asked, looking around the garden. “I haven’t seen him since we got back from walking Boomer,” she frowned.

“Indeed, he and Daniel Jackson took their leave some time ago,” Teal’c replied.

“They left?” Cassie squealed.

Shrugging, Sam casually calmed her. “I think I saw them go inside, I believe they wanted to talk about something…” She immediately heard the General’s voice ‘is she?’ sounding through her head and closed her eyes, trying to block it out.

“Are you sure you’re all right, babe?” Pete asked concerned, placing a hand on her arm. “Your father is right, you look a bit pale, do you have a headache?”

Giving him a small smile, she lied. “Yeah, a bit.”

“Maybe you should lie down, Sam,” Cassie said, giving her a sympathizing look. “You’re still recovering and you’ve been a bit stressed with the wedding.”

“If you all don’t mind,” Sam asked, and since no one objected, she walked back to the house. Padding through the hallway, she almost got knocked down by the General. “Sorry Sir,” she murmured, before passing him to go upstairs and lie down.

“Carter, wait,” Jack called out to her. “Is something wrong?”

If only you knew, she snidely thought, instead shaking her head. “No Sir, just a bit tired, I’m going to lie down for a minute.”

“Oh, okay,” Jack hesitantly said, not really believing her. “I was wondering if we could talk, perhaps later?”

“Yeah, maybe,” she said over her shoulder, while walking up the stairs.

* * *

 

“Daniel Jackson, must we not leave in order to ensure our reservations will still be reserved?” Teal’c asked as the clock struck 1900 hours.

Looking at his watch, Daniel nodded. “Right, we made reservations for half past seven,” he gave Pete a half-meant apologizing smile.

“You’re going out to dinner?” Sam asked, a bit hurt they hadn’t invited her.

“Yeah, Jack is buying,” Cassie smirked.

“I am?” Jack inquired, surprised.

“Yes,” the young woman grinned evilly. “Want to come with, Sam? I’m sure Pete wants some time to catch up with his buddy,” Cassie smoothly said.

“I- I don’t want to intrude.”

“C’mon Carter, you’d never intrude,” Jack replied, ushering everyone to grab their stuff and get ready to leave.

Sam came over to Pete to ask him if he would mind her going out to dinner with them, but he was actually more than pleased that he could have some time to talk to Farrity in private. He knew Farrity suspected General O’Neill knew about the background checks and it had made him think as well – the general’s looks had spoken volumes. Could it be that General O’Neill had the kind of influence needed to let the FBI start an internal investigation? However, if the General knew, then why doesn’t Sam know? Why didn’t the old geezer tell her?

 


	32. Bittersweetness

“Just answer the question, Carter,” Jack groaned as she kept evading, leaning back in the seat.

“Sir, I really don’t see how it is any of your business,” Sam politely informed him, making sure not to raise her voice not wanting to attract attention from the other people in the bar.

“Fine, then why are you declining the Atlantis offer?”

Sighing, Sam rolled her eyes. “I don’t think I’m ready for that, Sir.”

“But you _are_ , Carter. You’d be great at it.”

“You really want me to go, Sir?”

“It would be a great opportunity for you, career-wise and personal,” Jack tried.

“Why is that, Sir?” Sam asked through gritted teeth. “Do you want me in another galaxy? Fifteen hundred miles isn’t enough for you?” She huffed; her eyes darting around the bar to make sure no one had overheard her.

“What?” Jack exclaimed, surprised that she would think that. “Of course not, Carter,” if only she knew how close he wanted to be with her. “It would be a good jump towards becoming a general, which is something you want, isn’t it?”

Squinting at him, she held his gaze. “Is that so? Or is it because you want me and Pete to be apart?”

Jack stared at her, his face blank, feeling like she kicked him in the stomach. “You really think that?” he asked, disappointment sounding through his tired voice.

“What else should I be thinking, Sir?”

Closing his eyes, Jack gathered his thoughts. “Carter, you’re a damn fine officer, I’ve known that for years, and this could strengthen your leadership abilities, which you already started working on as commander of SG-1… for you to imply that I would urge you to do this to drive you and your soon-to-be husband apart is beyond my comprehension. I respect you and your career and I thought you knew me better than that,” he huffed, clenching his jaw.

Studying his stance for any insincerity, Sam cocked her head to the side. “What if it was the other way around, Sir?”

“What? If they wanted me in Atlantis?” Jack asked confused.

“No, Sir, what if things, eh… had been different?”

Rolling his eyes with exasperation, Jack sighed. “Carter, it’s getting late and I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Unsure of herself, she started fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “What if I had chosen you, instead of Pete–?”

Interrupting her, Jack scornfully retorted a “Well, you didn’t, did you?” and glared at her.

Swallowing, Sam looked up at him. “Would you still have wanted me to go if I had?”

“I don’t see how that is relevant, seeing as you made your choice weeks if not months ago.”

“But would you?”

“Carter–”

“Just answer the question, Sir,” she repeated his earlier words.

Quirking his eyebrows, Jack straightened. “Fine, yes, I would still want you to go.”

“Really?”

Shaking his head slowly, he gave her an appraising glance. “You know, I always thought I knew you pretty well,” Jack started. “We’ve known each other for what, almost nine years?” Seeing her nod an affirmative, he continued. “Not once have I doubted your qualities as a soldier, or a scientist for that matter, because the Air Force is part of who you are and I cannot stress enough what a command like this could do for your career.”

“Who suggested it?” She wanted to know, _needed_ to know if he had been the one. Seeing his dumbfounded look, she explained. “The command position and probable promotion.”

“Ah,” Jack shrugged. “Actually, I’m not sure. The IOA asked for someone military and all of a sudden, your name came up. General Hammond is still one of the President’s advisors in these matters, so it could have been him. It wasn’t me, if you were wondering,” he replied, looking at her suspiciously.

“Yet you’re urging me to take it,” she retorted.

“I never said I didn’t back the suggestion the moment I heard,” he answered smugly, noting she was caught off-guard. “I’m wondering though, why you are so reluctant.”

“You have to ask?” She huffed, surprised he didn’t already know. “It’s, eh… _abroad_ , Sir,” she emphasized the code word, just in case someone overheard. “I have my life here, my friends, and family. I have no idea what the situation out there is and I don’t feel comfortable being the IOA’s puppet.”

“Well, at least your husband will know the truth, unlike most of the spouses of the people stationed _abroad_ ,” he dismissed her argument. “You can still visit and keep in touch through mail, video messages and perhaps even phone conversations.”

Frowning, she looked at him. “Just like that? Somehow, I doubt Pete would be so understanding,” she murmured under her breath.

“If he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t deserve you,” Jack huffed, taking another sip of his beer. The alcohol had taken a bit of his anger and he could feel himself relaxing, saying things he normally wouldn’t.

“Excuse me?”

“Like I said before, the USAF is part of you, Carter and if he loves you – _all_ of you – then he’d understand. If not, he ain’t worth it,” he simply stated, shrugging.

“You make it sound so simple,” she said in a small voice, sighing.

“That’s me, let’s face it, Carter, I’m not that complex.”

“They said it would be a year at least, including a probationary period… not a great way to start a marriage.”

“Then don’t get married,” Jack blurted out, surprising both of them.

Puzzled, Sam looked at him. “Sir?”

“Never mind,” Jack hastily said, mentally kicking himself. He quickly put his beer down, before more stupid things came out of his mouth. “Carter… this all brings us back to my first question.”

“How is that?” She snorted, taking a sip of his beer.

“Why are you even thinking about this? Discussing it with me – instead of, oh I don’t know, your fiancé – if you’re still seriously contemplating leaving the Air Force?”

Shrugging, Sam leaned back, closing her eyes for a moment. Breathing in slowly, she thought about his question. “It’s personal, Sir.”

“Oh, cut the crap, Carter. If you’re able to talk to me about all of this,” he made a vague hand gesture, “You can most certainly tell me why.”

Fiddling with the label of his beer bottle, she considered her answer. In a way, Pete was right; it was dangerous and even now that she’d stepped down as commander of SG-1, there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t be reassigned. She almost had no say in where she’d end up. The general in front of her had released her of command and yet, if he wanted he could force it back on her tomorrow. If she resigned, however, that chance was slim to none. Well, maybe not _that_ slim, but it was less likely.

On the other hand, she really enjoyed her work; it was one of few things that posed a challenge to her. She knew that a relationship, especially a marriage, consisted of compromises and she was willing to cut back on some things, but this was such a though choice. She already knew that Pete wasn’t going to like a reassignment to Atlantis, especially since they wouldn’t be able to see much of each other. Like she had told the General, that wasn’t a good start to a marriage. Didn’t she quit SG-1 because she wanted to have a family among other things? How could she have that when they were in different galaxies?

“I’m getting married, Sir,” she started hesitantly.

“Yes, I remember,” he sarcastically responded, not wanting or _needing_ her to remind him of that.

Flashing him an apologetic smile, she continued. “I want a normal life and somewhere down the road I want a family with kids. How can I do that if I’m out in the field?”

“Lots of our people have families, Carter,” Jack replied.

“Perhaps, but is it fair to put your child through that? With me traipsing around the galaxy and Pete being out on the streets?”

“Didn’t we already have this conversation, like months ago?”

Ignoring his gruff comment, she took another sip of his beer, before putting it down. “Sir–”

“All right, I guess I can understand that. It’s why you stepped down as commander of SG-1, because you didn’t want to be on the front lines anymore.”

“Yes Sir.”

“How does quitting the AF fit in?”

“Reassignments, Sir. Like being sent to another gal-, eh… _abroad_ , it tends to keep you away from your family.”

“I guess, that’s why you’re refusing?”

“Yes Sir,” she sighed. On one hand, she had been excited and honored to be asked for the command post in Atlantis, but on the other hand, she immediately realized the consequences.

“So… does that mean that the cop is doing desk duty for the rest of his career as well?”

“What?” She frowned.

“Well, that would only be fair, wouldn’t it? Or is the wife the only one that isn’t allowed to be in danger?”

“Sir, it’s nothing like that,” Sam started, but he interrupted her with a raised hand.

“If you say so, Carter.”

“I do,” she replied, crossing her arms.

“Fine, whatever,” Jack grunted, suddenly uncomfortable. “Even so, I still think it’s selfish of him to even suggest for you to give up your career,” he said in a soft voice, not sure if he really wanted to bring this up in conversation.

“Sir?” She questioned him, leaning forward to be able to hear him better.

“Selfish and stupid, quite frankly, Carter.”

Getting impatient with him and squirming uncomfortably in her seat, she squinted at him. “How is that, Sir?”

“Like I said before, you’re a national treasure, Carter,” he gave her a rueful smile. “What if you do resign or refuse the reass and we get attacked by the Ori, the Wraith, or those damned bugs?”

“Replicators, Sir,” she instantly corrected him out of habit.

“Whatever… Then what, huh? Then we’re completely screwed with you sitting at home with the kids or teaching astrophysics or math at some school or university,” he huffed.

“I highly doubt that, Sir,” Sam replied, having never been able to take a compliment she started fiddling the label again. “Besides, I can’t pull of miracles.”

“Could’ve fooled me, Carter,” Jack softly commented, taking in her features. The wedding was in two days – one and a half – and he’d be back in DC while she would be enjoying her honeymoon, after which she’d lock herself up in her lab every day. Playing with doohickeys – which, admittedly, she was good at – and not using her brain to save people’s life’s or even planets. He didn’t know when he’d see her again; he was sure she wouldn’t visit him in DC and when would he be in Colorado Springs? Their relationship – friendship – had been strained for months and this was the first time in weeks that they’d been able to talk like this. Of course, they’d both been drinking a bit, so that could’ve helped. If he were honest, he hadn’t been drinking that much; it was only his second beer and he was no Daniel. But he had hardly eaten, so it hit hard. He could already feel himself sobering up, however. Carter on the other hand, had been drinking a bit more. She’d had two glasses of wine and at least two beers and now she was sipping his.

The way they were going, he doubted their friendship would survive her upcoming marriage. He’d never been one to maintain long distance friendships; then again he’d never had such good friends. Nonetheless, he was pretty confident they’d lose touch and the only way he’d see some of her would be if she stayed in the USAF and had to attend the same meetings. Daniel would probably keep him apprised of her well-being; as would Cassie, but that would be it. She’d be too consumed with her new family, especially if she were to get pregnant.

“Sir?” Sam leaned forward, looking at him questioningly after he’d been silent for a while. “Is something wrong?”

Smiling ruefully, he shrugged. “Just thinking, Carter.”

“About?”

“Nothing,” he dismissed her question.

Chewing her lower lip, she looked at him askant. She couldn’t remember the last time they’d been talking so honestly – with the exception of his admission during the quarantine – and she wondered what had happened between them. They used to be able to read each other like a book, never needed words, just glances and the occasional touch or gesture. Deep down, she knew exactly why it had stopped. She’d moved on, gotten involved with Pete and her CO had been promoted to base commander. Him being promoted was well deserved, no doubt in her mind about that, but it had meant that he had an entire base to look out for. Not just his team. Being General Hammond’s 2IC had already prepared him for that, still it had been different. He couldn’t afford for others to think that he favored them – her in particular, with all the rumors that had been going around about them. He’d been busy, busier than when he’d been a mere colonel and hardly had free time to spend with his old team. She had been busy with her normal life, especially after Pete transferred from Denver.

There had always been something between them – her and the General – a certain underlying sexual tension. She knew her feelings for him and, after overhearing him and Daniel the other day, she knew he didn’t love her. Perhaps that was why it was easier now? She had finally made her choice – or rather, he’d made it for her – and now they knew where they stood. Looking up from under her lashes, she caught his eyes and their gazes locked. Immediately, she felt something flutter in her belly and she silently berated her body. Nervously, she reached out for his beer bottle.

God, those eyes were going to be the death of him someday, Jack thought, looking at those baby blues of her. He could see the emotions behind them, or so he thought. He wasn’t sure, but he could’ve sworn he saw regret and some sadness there. His eyes flicked down to her mouth and he noticed her gnawing at her lip, something she did when thinking or concentrating – probably both – and he wondered what was bothering her. Could he still salvage some of their friendship? “Carter,” he started, bringing her out of her stupor. “About Washington and our plans-”

“Sir, you don’t have to explain,” she interrupted him with a petulant tone.

“What if I want to?” Jack asked, blindly reaching for his beer. Instead, he found her hand clenched around the bottle and he looked down.

“What if I don’t want to hear it,” she asked stubbornly, following his gaze. His hand had come around hers and she wanted to pull back, but he tightened his grip, not letting her.

Turning his palm up, Jack softly peeled her fingers from the bottle. “Why wouldn’t you?” He asked in the same tone, letting his rough fingertips slide over her slim fingers.

Shuddering, Sam was engrossed in the sight of his fingers caressing hers and she swallowed. “Because,” she replied in a husky tone.

“Really, ‘because,’ Colonel?” Jack joked, as his left hand grabbed her right, which was lying on the table.

Her slightly inebriated mind was amazed by the overwhelming sensations his rough hands brought hers and she couldn’t tear her gaze away as his fingers intertwined with hers. “Yeah,” she gave him a bittersweet smile.

Squeezing her somewhat cold hands, Jack brought their hands up in front of them. “Why?”

“It’s all said and done,” she softly stated, regret sounding through her voice.

He let his thumb slide down hers and it stroked her soft flesh, eliciting goose bumps on her arm. “That’s just it, Carter. Nothing was said, it was only done.”

Closing her eyes, her mind brought her back to that morning on his couch and she could feel the heat shooting down to her core as she remembered his hands on her body. Clearing her throat and forcing herself to focus, she looked at him. “It was enough.”

“Was it?” He asked, registering her racing pulse with his thumb and he gave her a lopsided grin.

His grin was almost her undoing and she pulled her hands free, needing to have a clear head. “Yeah,” she answered, letting her hands rest in her lap. “It was probably too much,” she regretfully mentioned, blinking the quickly-forming tears in her eyes away, remembering the events from the last few weeks.

Nodding sadly, Jack repressed the feelings her words brought him. He’d known, he just had to make sure. “Just answer me one thing, Samantha,” he said in a throaty voice.

Her head snapped up at hearing him use her first name – which he usually reserved for life or death situations – especially the full version. She’d always been called Sam and had liked it that way, every now and then someone would call her “Samantha” and she’d put up with it, since it was her full name after all. Somehow, he made it sound sexy and she actually liked the sound of her full name from his lips. Realizing he was still waiting for a reaction, she swallowed and nodded, not trusting her voice.

“Are you happy?”

Blinking, she was taken aback for a moment. _God, I_ was _happy when your hands were caressing m-_ ; she quickly stopped her own thoughts and numbly nodded again.

“Say it,” he ordered, wanting – _needing_ her to say it aloud and convince him of that. That would be enough, he’d leave her alone… _if I can,_ he grimly thought as he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.

“I am happy, Sir,” she softly announced, bobbing her head for extra confirmation.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Jack grabbed his phone and held up his hand as he saw Ilse’s ID. “I have to take this.”

Still a bit hazed from everything that had just happened she just sat there and nodded again – she felt like a marionette, unable to move of her own free will.

“Ilse,” Jack greeted the woman as he answered the phone.

A bit annoyed, Sam studied the General as he was on the phone with his _girlfriend_. She hadn’t even thought about her while they had been – doing what? Holding hands?

“This isn’t a good time,” Jack continued as Ilse didn’t react.

_“I realize that, I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important.”_

“What is it?” He asked, suddenly dreading her answer.

_“It’s Lily… she had a relapse, Jack. They took her into the OR, they’re afraid her organs are failing and the babies were in extreme distress.”_

He could hear she was upset by the held-back sob and the shakiness of her voice and he swallowed hard. “I’m on my way,” he replied, before saying goodbye.

“You have to leave, Sir?” Sam asked, a bit irked that he would just drop everything to go to _her_. Then she realized she’d just practically turned him down again and chastised her own thoughts.

“Yeah,” Jack softly answered as he dialed the number of his office, requesting to be put through to the _Prometheus_ – which was in orbit. “Colonel, do you still have the coordinates you beamed me up from last time?”

Sam frowned as she heard him talk to Colonel Pendergast. The last time – that she knew of – he’d been beamed up was when he was called back after taking a few personal days and ending up with just one day off.

“Yeah, I’ll call you back.” Jack ended the call and put his cell phone back in his pocket. He had to finish this properly, before he would go to the men’s room and get beamed up and down to the hospital.

“Sir?” Sam inquired, wondering why he was still sitting in front of her.

“They were in the middle of some technical stuff,” he lied, “Which is almost finished and then I’ll go to the men’s room,” he winked at her.

“Oh, okay,” she replied, still frowning. “Like I said, Sir, I am happy.”

Nodding, Jack leaned forward. “That’s all I want for you,” he told her, giving her a tender look. “There’s nothing I can do or say to change your mind about the wedding?” He asked, needing her to confirm his suspicion. He knew a determined Carter when he saw one…

“Nothing, Sir,” Sam whispered, holding his gaze while giving him a bittersweet smile.

Sighing, Jack lowered his head, looking at the beer bottle still in front of them. Making up his mind, he realized he had nothing left to lose. Before she could move, he got up, sat down next to her on the bench, and brought his hand to her face.

At first Sam had been stunned as he sat down, now she closed her eyes and relished the feeling of his hand caressing her cheek. However, her eyes flew open in shock at his next words.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to the wedding,” Jack softly stated, absorbing every detail of her face.

“What?”

“I have to go–”

“They can beam you back,” she said through gritted teeth.

“I don’t think so, besides, you don’t need me there,” he retorted, looking into her blazing eyes.

“I do,” she protested, but he stopped her by placing a finger on her lips.

“You see, you already know your line,” he said, grimacing at the thought of her promising her love and devotion to another man.

“Sir,” she spoke against his finger. “I need you there.”

“No, you don’t. That emergency when you were in DC?”

Turning her head away from him, she clenched her jaw before speaking. “I don’t have to know, I already told you.”

“It was of ‘life and death’-importance, as is this,” he motioned with his hand, referring to Ilse’s phone call. “It’s my si–”

“I told you, you don’t need to explain and I don’t want to hear it. Why don’t you just go?”

Now it was Jack’s turn to frown and he gently grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him. “Fine, if you’re not even going to let me explain,” he started.

“And don’t come back,” she whispered.

“What?” Jack exclaimed, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline.

It’s for the best, she told herself. Once he is out of her life… out of sight out of mind. Out of mind, out of heart, or something like that… “If you refuse to be there at _my_ wedding as my friend, then we’re not friends at all. I think it would be best if we would leave each other alone,” she said with pain in her heart.

Realizing she just voiced his earlier thoughts – they would lose touch one way or another – he swallowed and nodded. “If that’s what you want,” he whispered.

“It is,” Sam retorted, not being able to look him in the eye. She couldn’t bear to see the pain in his eyes and looked away.

He gently forced her to face him again and before she could move, he placed his lips on hers. Now, he had absolutely nothing to lose. Feeling her resist, he increased the pressure and cupped her cheek with his free hand. He pulled her even closer and his tongue darted out to taste her lips.

Forgetting her resistance, Sam immediately opened her mouth for him and moaned as his tongue stroke alongside hers. She’d forgotten he tasted this good after eight years and her hands moved around his neck of their own volition, pulling him even closer, deepening their kiss. _It’s just a goodbye_ , she sternly told herself, she wasn’t doing anything wrong…

Jack let out a low groan as she sucked on his tongue and his hand moved to cup her head, positioning her to allow him better access of her delicious mouth. He could still taste traces of the beer she’d had earlier and that sweet taste that was completely Samantha Carter. The same taste that had haunted him after that locker room incident. He broke the kiss so he could breathe, and was surprised when she wouldn’t let him and reclaimed his mouth. He loved the little moan coming from the back of her throat as he explored her mouth.

Sam sighed into his mouth and let her hands ruffle through his hair, as she had wanted to do for years. Pulling back slightly, she sucked his lip into her mouth while resting her forehead against his. Trying to catch her breath and slow down her heart rate, she gave him a shaky smile.

Placing one more kiss on her lips, Jack leaned back, both hands cupping her face. “One hell of a goodbye, Samantha Carter,” he said huskily. “I really have to go now,” he continued, before pulling her to him and placing a sweet kiss on her forehead. He had to go, while he was still able to leave her. To leave her alone for the rest of her life – the life she would be sharing with Shanahan.

“Sir, I- I,” Sam started, not really knowing what to say. It was true, this was their goodbye…

“Don’t worry about it Carter, I just kissed the bride before instead of after the wedding,” he quipped. “I prefer to do that in a more private place, not in front of everyone with your new husband next to you,” he got up and grabbed his coat, before walking into the men’s room and dialing Pendergast. He felt slightly guilty for taking a moment with Carter instead of immediately beaming over to the hospital, but it had only been seven minutes since Ilse had called and he couldn’t have done anything for her or Lily in that time. He just prayed he wouldn’t be too late, before a white light engulfed him.

Swallowing, Sam got out daze as she saw the white light shine under the door. She brought up her hand to her lips, still unable to believe that she had actually shared a passionate kiss with Jack O’Neill and would marry another man in thirty hours. Her lips still tingled, _hell_ , her entire body was tingly. Blinking, she just stared at the door through which he’d left, a small tear trailing down her cheek.

 


	33. Any News?

**Chapter 33**

“Is there any news?” Jack asked, as he hugged Ilse and then Anna.

“Nothing yet,” Anna shook her head, concerned about her daughter’s welfare.

“I’m sorry for calling, but the doctor said it didn’t look good and that I had to call Mom, so I figured–”

“Ssh, it’s okay,” Jack soothed Ilse, sitting down and pulling her against him. “I’m glad you called.”

Anna looked at her other daughter, who was clinging to Jack’s shirt and looked extremely tired. She exchanged a worried glance with Jack, glad that both her children were getting along so well with her stepson. It still felt strange to call him that, since she was only a few years older and – like her daughters – didn’t look her age. A great quality according to many people, especially women, but it had made some situations with Jack’s father rather awkward; even now, she had the appearance of a woman ten years younger than her sixty years. Brennan would’ve turned seventy-five next year, hadn’t he died before his time, she mused.

She’d been afraid Lily would never get to know more about her father after he’d died, and that Jack would lose touch, but he hadn’t. In fact, he came by more often after his father had passed and when Lily was younger he’d told her all kinds of stories about Brennan. As she’d hoped, Jack played the big brother part with flying colors, even with Ilse. Although, their relationship wasn’t always purely familial and, if she were honest, it had worried her some times. Especially with Lily encouraging them, she thought with a small smile. However, her fears had been unfounded, since Jack had always kept the boundaries and she now knew that Ilse played by the same rules.

Hearing a soft whimper, she looked down to see Milou waking up and she lifted her granddaughter out of her stroller and hushed her, gently rocking her in her arms. Looking at the clock in the hallway, she noticed the little girl was settling nicely in a routine. The past few weeks she had awoken around this time every day, needing to be fed. With Lily in the hospital for the last few weeks and Ilse and herself taking care of Milou, she’d become accustomed to bottle-feeding the child. Whenever they took Milou to see her mother, Lily would breastfeed her if she was feeling strong enough while she was there. However, in her current condition, she hardly had the strength to lift her daughter on her own, let alone be strong enough to breast feed or to use a breast pump. So, lately Milou had been living of formula. Reaching down, Anna grabbed the bottle she’d quickly made before rushing over to the hospital. It was still warm, so it didn’t have to be heated, she decided.

Hearing the change in her breathing pattern, Jack looked down at Ilse who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He rested his cheek against her soft hair and watched as Anna fed her granddaughter. He couldn’t help but wonder how Milou would turn out, growing up without her mother. The latest scans hadn’t been good and had showed that Lily’s tumor had metastasized and they had not only infested her lymphatic system, but her bones as well. That is when they’d known for sure she wouldn’t be able to see her children grow up and it had broken his heart as she had told him over the phone, since he couldn’t take another few days off with the Ori attacking new planets. He’d even threatened to retire, but the President had calmly informed him that wouldn’t help him, since he’d just deny it – like he had all these years.

Hearing his little sister talking in a resigned voice – devoid of all emotions – he’d considered resigning, but she’d flat-out told him not to or she’d kick his ass. Unlike Ilse, Lily didn’t know the truth about his work, all she knew was that it was important and with Ilse corroborating that, it had been enough for her to know he couldn’t resign. Besides, she’d asked him, what could he do for her at this moment except sit next to her and wallow in her self-pity? Eventually, he’d agreed with her – except for the part of her wallowing in self-pity, because he knew she would never allow herself to do just that – and made sure to call her at least every other day.

At first, he’d called her every single day – sometimes even twice a day – until she had almost ordered him to stop mothering her, telling him having her own mother hovering over her the entire time was bad enough. He couldn’t deny that; Anna was a sweet, charming woman, but she could be scary as hell if she thought something wrong with her family or if she was mad – he’d take Ba’al over an angry Anna any day. Jack stifled a smile as Milou was loudly yawning and moving her little fists in the air, trying to grab a lock of her grandmother’s hair.

“Jack,” Anna spoke in a soft voice, not wanting to wake up Ilse. Locking eyes with him, she knew she didn’t have to tell him anything – he was just as aware of Lily’s chances as she was. Giving him a curt nod, she returned her attention to Milou, trying to get her back to sleep as to not break routine.

“I know,” Jack whispered to the other woman. After checking to see if Ilse was still asleep, he continued. “Did the doctor say anything before they took her away?”

“Just that it didn’t look good and the odds were against her.”

Letting it sink in, Jack turned quiet again. Seeing movement in the corner of his eye, he turned his head and saw Anna putting a sleeping Milou back in her stroller, gently tucking her in. He followed Anna with his eyes and knew she fell asleep as soon as her head leaned back against the wall. Breathing in deeply, he decided to use some of the techniques Teal’c had taught him for kelno’reem.

* * *

 

“Is there any news?” Walter asked as he joined Siler, Lieutenant Simmons, and Vern walking up to the control room.

“I haven’t heard a thing,” Vern answered, shaking his head.

“What about you, Lieutenant?” He asked, looking at the young man.

“Eh… nothing, yet.”

“I thought I overheard one of the nurses saying that Colonel Carter was seen at Dr. Jackson’s lab,” Sergeant O’Brien told them, quickly catching up.

“Siler?”

Shrugging, Sly looked at the other men. “Well, I may know something,” he mysteriously answered.

“What is it?” Walter asked eager to hear some news.

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I heard something as well,” Walter informed the others.

“You first,” Sly said, with a small grin. “I think mine trumps yours.”

“It’s that good?” O’Brien asked, his eyes almost popping out.

“Seeing as a lot of people have already changed their bets, I’d say yes,” he replied smugly.

“Fine, the General’s assistant–”

“Aren’t you the General’s assistant?” Major Wood interrupted him, eavesdropping on their conversation as they entered the control room.

“We’re talking about General O’Neill and Colonel Carter,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, is there any news?” A sergeant inquired, looking up from her computer screen.

“As I was about to say, before I was so rudely interrupted,” Walter began. “General _O’Neill’s_ assistant told me that he called last night, asking to be put through to the _Prometheus_. Since he also mentioned he’d check in later that week, probably Saturday, we were thinking something is up,” he said with a small smile. “You know, since he is supposed to go back to DC the day after the wedding,” he explained, seeing everyone’s dumbfounded expression.

“Oh, I see,” Graham Simmons nodded. “If he was going back the day after, then why wouldn’t he check in until Saturday?”

“Exactly,” Walter smiled pleased.

“I was right, mine trumps yours,” Sly Siler chuckled. “I was told that General O’Neill and Colonel Carter were spotted in a bar last night, drinking beer and they appeared to be engrossed in conversation.”

“Wow,” someone exclaimed in the gate room, looking up at them, overhearing their conversation through the intercom.

“Are you saying something is going on between them?”

“Well, that suffocating tension seemed to be gone, my source told me, but after seeing the General cast a few glances his way, he made sure to leave, not wanting to be at the receiving end of the wrath of General O’Neill,” Sly concluded.

“I don’t think Colonel Carter would do such a thing,” Graham stammered.

“Oh, please, we all know you have a crush on her,” Vern said, dismissing his comment and making the young Lieutenant blush.

“This is very interesting,” Walter turned to his friend. “Siler, are there any new bets?”

* * *

 

“Is there any news yet?”

Cassie looked up to see Daniel hovering in the doorway. “About?” She drawled out the word, staring at him.

“Sam and Jack,” Daniel bashfully informed her.

“What about Sam and Jack?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Shrugging, Daniel walked over to her and sat down on the chair across from her. “I don’t know, I thought he’d make a move or something,” he replied.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” she sighed, leaning back in the couch. “I haven’t seen him this morning, however. Weren’t you guys supposed to meet up for drinks last night?”

“Kind of,” Daniel grinned. “Something happened to come up, for Teal’c as well as myself,” he proudly told her.

“You didn’t,” she yelped.

Nodding his head like an excited child, he confirmed her suspicion.

“You actually stood them up so that they would have to talk?”

“It was actually Teal’c’s idea,” Daniel said in a contemplating tone. He was still surprised the Jaffa had suggested it, seeing as he wasn’t the kind of person to interfere in other people’s lives.

“Wow, that’s great, how did it work out?”

“I’m not sure, yet, that’s why I came over.”

“Oh, well, like I said, I haven’t seen Jack this morning. I assumed he went to base for some meeting with General Landry or that he went sparring with Teal’c.”

“That’s okay,” Daniel smiled, “I’ll ask Teal’c.”

* * *

“Is there any news yet?”

_“Indeed, there is not.”_

“Have you seen Jack?” Daniel inquired frowning.

 _“I have not,”_ Teal’c stated, letting a pause fall before speaking again. _“However, there is unverified information spreading through Stargate Command that O’Neill and Colonel Carter were seen in the establishment of our choice, consuming an unspecified amount of alcoholic beverages and conversing in a cautious manner, lacking the oppressive atmosphere that has been between them for quite some time.”_

Taking a moment before responding, Daniel thought about Teal’c’s information. “So there are rumors that they were actually talking about serious stuff in the bar?”

_“Did I not just inform you of just that, Daniel Jackson?”_

“Yes, you did, I’m just checking. Excellent, Teal’c!” Daniel thanked his friend, said his goodbyes and hung up the phone.

* * *

 

“Is there any news?” Jack asked, as a doctor was walking up to them.

Anna and Ilse immediately woke hearing his voice and they focused their sleepy eyes on the doctor.

“We were able to stabilize her for the time being, but the fetal distress caused her body to release hormones which induced preterm labor. She was given drugs to stop it and for now, the babies are out of danger. However, we can’t hold it off forever and it won’t be much longer until we have to get the babies out,” the doctor carefully explained in the best laymen terms he could come up with.

“What are you saying?” Jack asked, confused.

“Her body is giving up, we can’t keep doing what we’re doing,” he replied. “If we were to keep this up, it would endanger the welfare of the babies and Ms. O’Neill explicitly told us that the welfare of her children was to be our number one priority.”

Closing her eyes, Ilse tried to stop the tears forming in her eyes. Knowing her little sister was this close to death and not being able to help her, was awful. They had spoken about it for days and Lily had made her promise to make sure the doctors would think of the babies first, since she was already categorized as ‘terminal.’ Ilse knew the only reason Lily was still fighting was because of her unborn children and Milou. The last couple of weeks had really taken their toll on her; she’d lost her natural complexion and had started to lose weight, even as they kept feeding her thinking of the babies. Her strength was gone most of the day and the last few days had left her unable to lift Milou on her own. She probably could after resting a bit if she tried, but Lily had been too afraid to pick up her own daughter out of fear she might drop her as her arms would give out.

“If that’s what Lily wants, then that’s what you’ll do,” Anna sternly told the doctor.

Nodding, the man continued. “We’ve called in a specialist and were advised to start corticosteroid-treatment to help develop the lungs of the unborn children. The treatment will take at least ten to twelve hours to take effect and right now, we’re just hoping your daughter will pull through. At least until then. The morning shift is almost starting and her doctor will be joining our team soon, after which we’ll probably make preparations to deliver the babies. Of course, the best thing for the babies is to stay in their mother’s womb because their development is incomplete and they’re premature,” he checked to see if they understood him and elaborated. “Carrying twins results almost all the time in the birth of two children who weigh a little less than a baby from a single pregnancy and the gestation period is often shortened with a few weeks. However, this is far too early, especially since she is carrying twins. As soon as Lily’s body is giving in, we’re doing a c-section and pray to God the babies will pull through. If there aren’t any questions, I think I should go back to my patient.”

Looking at the two women standing beside him, Jack nodded to the doctor that he could leave. There wasn’t anything he could do for Lily or the twins from here and all they could do was hope and pray to whatever God was out there.

 


	34. A Joyous Day?

**  
**

“Sammie?”

“Come in,” Sam yelled over her shoulder, again pulling at the hem of her strapless dress, making sure it really was secure and wouldn’t slip off to expose her breasts as she was walking down the aisle. She watched the door open, revealing her father, via the mirror and smiled at him. “Hi Dad.”

“Wow, you look beautiful, kiddo,” Jacob walked up to her and gently kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Thanks, and I feel fine, why?”

“Nervous?”

“Why, should I be?” Sam asked wary.

“It’s okay to be nervous, Sammie,” Jacob smiled and he sat down at the chair next to her. “That dress looks wonderful on you.”

Sam lifted the heavy dress a bit, twirled around, and gave him a big grin as the fabric rustled because of the movement. Standing still in front of him, she pulled the hemline up so he could see her matching shoes.

“Gorgeous,” Jacob grinned as well.

His eyes flashed and Selmak took over, standing up to study the dress close up. “You truly look wonderful, Samantha, your taste is exquisite. The Tau’ri have the most wonderful clothing designers. Jacob has told me it is customary to wear a white dress for one’s wedding, is it not?”

Stroking the fabric of her bodice with both hands, Sam looked up to see Selmak’s questioning look. “Well, they used to do that because white was supposed to be the color of innocence and thus sexual inexperience.”

“I do not understand.”

“Someone came up with that idea several centuries ago and the idea was that women were supposed to marry while they were still virgins, so the white color represented their innocence and purity. Ever since, it became tradition, but of course, you can choose whatever color you want. Nowadays, most women choose something white-ish, like I chose ivory.”

Nodding, Selmak came closer and let her hand slide down the material. “This is very smooth and lustrous fabric, Samantha. Is it… what the Tau’ri call silk?”

Smiling, Sam nodded. “Yes, it’s a type of silk, called taffeta.”

“And this?” Selmak asked, pointing at the skirt, which was made of different material.

“We call that tulle,” Sam replied, letting her hands slide down the fabric and fingering the little flower trail moving down from her left hip to the hem of the skirt, made of spangles and pearls.

“Truly amazing,” Selmak sighed, before Jacob took over again.

“Well, that was awkward,” Jacob chuckled, sitting back in his chair.

“Ya think?” Sam joked, turning back to the mirror to look at the dress again.

“So… not nervous?” Jacob asked again.

“No, why would I be, Dad? I want to marry Pete,” she gave him a stern look, daring him to question her motivation.

Sighing, Jacob shrugged. “Well, I seem to remember you were extremely nervous when you introduced Hanson to me and you didn’t look exactly calm when I ran into you and the cop at George’s barbecue.”

“That was different, I was afraid for how you might react,” she bashfully admitted. “Today is about me and Pete.”

“Is it?”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Sam asked her father, turning around with a puzzled expression.

“I’m not sure, Sammie,” Jacob started. “Are you doing this for the right reasons?”

Stunned, she stared at him, mouth agape. It took her a minute to respond and as she was about to answer him, there was another knock on the door. “Enter,” she called out, slightly irritated.

“Wow, you look fabulous,” Cassie exclaimed, walking into the room with Daniel on her six.

Sam could just make out Teal’c’s large frame in front of the door, before Daniel closed it. He’s standing watch _,_ she thought with a smile. “Thanks, Cassie.”

“Yeah, you look amazing, Sam,” Daniel agreed, hugging her, careful of the dress.

“I love those little pearls and spangles on your bodice, especially as it catches the light,” Cassie complimented. “I brought your bouquet with me,” she continued, handing her the flowers, which were the same as the one on the left side of the dress’ waistline and the one on the right of the neckline – with the exception of the color.

“It suits you, very Sam-like,” Daniel added, giving her another admiring glance. “I was just wondering how you’re feeling and if we have to smuggle you out of here?”

“Daniel!” Sam admonished him for his bad joke, particularly as she had wondered that herself. Especially after her father’s last question. She thought about the General, who had kept his word – she hadn’t seen him yet – and she was still trying to figure out if she should be grateful or resent him for not coming. It was what she had asked him, right? Nevertheless, it didn’t mean she couldn’t use her best friend right now. Still in thought, she shook her head with a wan smile gracing her face. Her best friend… the one she had been longing for for almost nine years, the one with whom she had broken because she couldn’t handle her feelings. She was settling and she knew it; Pete was her safety net, her guarantee for a normal life and a family. He could never compare to Jack O’Neill, the man who had stolen her heart many years ago and never seemed to notice he was its – rightful? – owner.

“Sam?”

Looking up, she saw everyone looking strangely at her. “What?”

“Having cold feet?” Cassie could barely contain the excitement in her voice, hoping that Sam would blow it all off. She kept wondering where Jack was, since she hadn’t seen since he went out with ‘the team’ Sunday evening. Yesterday, she had been studying upstairs in her room with headphones on, so it was possible she didn’t hear the phone. Her own cell had been on the charger – turned off – all day and she had forgotten to take it off this morning. It was strange though, Jack normally would’ve called. Daniel had tried reaching him, but it went to voicemail straight away. At first, she was afraid something might’ve happened, but she figured someone would call her or at least the SGC or his office, with him being a general and all.

Giving her a wan smile, Sam reassured the young woman. “No, I was just thinking…”

“Oh,” was all Cassie could say, feeling disappointed.

“Has anyone seen Jack? Cassie and I were trying to reach him yesterday, but he didn’t answer and I haven’t seen him inside yet. Have you seen him on base, Jacob?”

“No, I haven’t seen him since I got back to Earth,” Jacob shrugged, his nonchalance belying his thoughts. He and Selmak – and probably everyone else who had seen Jack and Sam together – knew how Jack felt about his daughter and he’d been afraid Jack would do something stupid. Not by embarrassing Sammie – Jack was too honorable for that – no, something more along the lines of not showing up, come off as insincere while congratulating the couple or drinking himself half to death. Then again, he did seem to be happy with that young woman Jacob had met at the engagement party… he had actually expected the two of them showing up together.

“He’s not coming,” Sam muttered softly, before turning towards the mirror. Checking the last touch of makeup, her bracelets, and brushing her hands over the dress to get rid of non-existent creases in the skirt, she tried to detract attention from herself.

“What?” The three other occupants of the room exclaimed in sync.

Cassie, who was the first to recover, grabbed Sam by her shoulders and swirled her around. “What are you saying, he’s not coming? Why?”

“It’s for the best,” Sam softly replied.

“The best for whom?” Jacob keenly inquired. “You, Pete, or Jack himself?”

To say her father shocked her with his insight, would be an understatement and all Sam could do was stare at him.

“I can’t believe Jack is doing this to you, he promised he’d be here,” Daniel angrily commented.

Knowing his daughter, Jacob thought for a moment. “Whose idea was it, Sammie?”

“Mine,” she swallowed hard.

“Why?” Cassie cried out. “You can’t do that!”

Taking off his glasses, Daniel scrubbed his face and sighed. “Sam, what are you trying to accomplish here? Asking Jack to _not_ come to your wedding… you might as well say goodbye to your friendship right now, because I’m not sure if–”

“We already did,” Sam interrupted him with a voice filled of sorrow and regret.

Just as the three of them were about to reply, Hilda opened the door unannounced and told everyone the ceremony was about to begin.

* * *

 

Pacing the hallways hadn’t put his mind at ease at all and he could see the same was true for Ilse and Anna whom had taken their seats already. Perhaps it was different for them, since his treacherous mind was going back and forth between Carter and her wedding and Lily and the babies in the OR. Dragging his hand through his hand, he let out a frustrated sigh.

“Jack?” Anna quietly asked him, knowing how upset he was. He had told her, Ilse and Lily about his last conversation with the woman he loved – she was sure he left out a few personal details and so had been her daughters, and they had kept asking him for more, which he had declined – while they were waiting for the doctors to take Lily to the OR. Lily had pulled through last night, surprising her doctors, but not her family. She had always been a strong woman, determined to achieve the – realistic – goals she had set in her mind and usually succeeded in doing so. Not to mention she had the pigheadedness of the O’Neills, but if you were to ask Jack, she was sure he’d say Lily was as strong headed as Ilse and her mother. She chuckled inwardly and squeezed Ilse’s hand.

Looking up, Ilse saw her mother smiling a small smile, which was the total opposite of the nervous and scared smile that had been plastered on her face for the last few days. She returned the smile and little squeeze, before biting her lower lip. It had been almost an hour since they had taken Lily into surgery, an emergency c-section – which they had actually been preparing for, the last two days – and she knew the doctor could be here any minute. She hadn’t been able to eat anything all day, nervousness taking away the urge to eat and she had been scared to lose her sister.

She knew that eventually they had to say their goodbyes, but – as selfishly as that may be – she didn’t want that time to be now, if they even would be able to actually _say_ their goodbyes. Lily, stubborn as always, had refused to say goodbye before going into surgery, even though the doctors had made all of them – and Lily in particular – highly aware of the risks. She could still hear the gynecologist telling them there was a good chance Lily wouldn’t come out of it alive; since multiple organs started failing and her overall health left much to be desired. Right now, Ilse couldn’t decide whether it was a good thing they were taking their time or that it could mean Lily was dying on the table. Holding back a sob, she tried thinking positive thoughts.

“Yeah?” Jack answered, looking up.

“You’re making me nervous,” Anna explained, motioning him to sit down.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jack let out another exasperated sigh, before sitting down. As soon as he sat, though, Milou started crying, so he got up and picked her up out of her stroller. Rocking the little girl seemed to calm her and he smiled as she looked up with her dark brown eyes that were so similar to his, Lily’s and even Charlie’s. He remembered his surprise when Charlie had been born, expecting the baby to have blue eyes that might change color later but his father had told him that the dominant brown O’Neill eyes were always present at birth and usually stayed brown. The first time he’d met Lily he hadn’t been surprised at all, not after Charlie. By the time Lily was carrying Milou, he was already assuming the baby would have the same brown eyes.

As Milou grabbed his finger with her little fist, he wondered about Lily’s condition… and what about the babies? What if it had been all for nothing? He had recognized the look Lily had given him before she was rolled out of the room – he’d seen it too many times in soldiers – and the message she was sending him with those eyes came through five by five. However, what if his little sister _and_ her babies wouldn’t survive? Would it have been worth it? She had gone through so much pain, not only physical but emotional as well and the only thing that kept her going was the possible positive outcome for her children.

He startled as he saw another hand stroking the soft blonde wisps of Milou’s hair – so much for black ops training – and looking up, he saw Ilse standing next to him, a bittersweet smile on her face and teary eyes. He silently handed over the baby, knowing she needed the comfort and wrapped both of them in his arms, rubbing soothing circles on her back. He could feel her shake while holding back sobs… always trying to be strong, he thought. “It’s okay, Ilse. Ssh, it’s okay.”

Anna came up from behind Ilse and stroked her daughter’s hair, silently crying herself. The stress was slowly taking its toll on their tired minds and emotional barriers were lowered.

The sound of a door opening made the three of them almost jump apart, as if they had been doing something wrong. Two worn out doctors came walking up to them; it was the gynecologist and her resident.

* * *

 

“I, Pete Shanahan, take you, Samantha Carter, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

Sam looked in his eyes, seeing joy and pride and she returned his smile, albeit a bit less enthusiastic. Receiving a nod from the priest, she too recited the traditional Catholic vows.

“I- I, eh… I, Samantha Carter, take you,” out of the corner of her eye, she quickly scanned the church. Her family – Mark and his family, her father and SG-1 – was sitting front row with half of the SGC behind them. She could almost feel the tension coming from her side of the church and she continued. “P-Pete Shanahan, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until… death do us part.”

The priest gave the nervous woman an encouraging nod and continued the ceremony. “You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. Amen.”

Sam closed her eyes for a second, swallowing hard, wondering when those supposed butterflies would make their appearance, as she didn’t feel as joyous as the magazines claimed. They should’ve written their own vows, she thought, and that damn priest sounded very determined. Inhaling sharply, she opened her eyes and saw Pete grinning at her.

“You may kiss the bride.”

Jacob grabbed the clean handkerchief he had in his inside pocket and handed it to Cassandra, who was crying silently. He couldn’t help but notice his daughter – despite her earlier claims – didn’t seem as happy as she should…

“It was beautiful, huh,” Mark whispered to Cassandra. “I always thought of Sam as this though soldier and yet there she was, with her emotional shaky voice.”

“Yeah,” Cassie replied, drying her eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder why Sam had been so unsure and she hoped it had something to do with Jack. _That_ was what she’d been crying over, after all. Looking to their side of the church, she noticed no one looked particularly pleased – with the exception of Mark and his family – not even Jacob.

 

* * *

 

 “I can’t believe how small they are,” Ilse whispered, as if afraid to wake them.

Following her in, Jack nodded. “Yeah, they’re like miniature babies.”

“That’s actually quite correct,” the doctor said, overhearing the two despite their whispers. “They have extremely low birth weight; the girl is only 1250 grams and the boy 1195 grams. Normally, babies are born weighing approximately between the 2500 and 4000 grams. Of course, twins are usually on the low side, but since they are only 31 weeks old they aren’t fully developed yet. Fortunately, the corticosteroid treatment we gave the mother has helped their lungs, but that doesn’t mean everything is fine. You can see this nasal cannula,” he pointed at the small noses of both babies, before continuing. “We call this CPAP,” he motioned towards a ventilator-like machine. “It gives a continuous positive airway pressure with slight amounts of oxygen, which helps the alveoli to stay open since their bodies aren’t yet able to produce a necessary protein for this. The lacking protein is called surfactant and while the CPAP is working, they’ll hopefully make it on their own. If not, we can artificially administer surfactant, but they appear to be strong, so we hope that won’t be necessary.” He looked at the man and woman standing in front of them, searching for any signs of incomprehension.

Not finding any, he stepped to the other side of the incubators and showed them the IV. “We are giving them fluids to stabilize their blood sugar, blood salts, and blood pressure. They will probably get a blood transfusion in the morning, because their red blood cells aren’t fully developed yet, have a shorter lifespan and carry less iron.”

“You said they appear to be strong?” Ilse hesitantly asked, worried about her new niece and nephew.

“It is hard to say, but we have seen worse case scenario’s and the fact that they can, in fact, already breathe on their own and don’t need a ventilator to supply them oxygen, is a very good sign. However, there is still the chance that they will have a relapse, which is why they will be monitored 24/7.”

“A relapse?” Jack inquired, looking at the neonatologist.

“There is the possibility that they will need help breathing, after which they will be hooked up to a ventilator through a ‘breathing’ tube and receive intermittent breaths.”

“What are the chances?”

“I can’t really say for sure,” he regretfully informed them. “However, boys are usually weaker, especially with IRDS, and since he also has a lower birth weight…”

Hearing the man’s voice trail off, Jack and Ilse nodded. It was so much information, everything was happening at once!

“Risks for brain bleedings aren’t out of the picture either, at thirty two weeks there is better protection for the blood vessels in the brain, so we are keeping both eyes on that as well,” the doctor informed them. Pointing upwards, he gestured towards the blue light hanging above the incubators. “As I said before, a fetus’ red blood cells are different and these need to be broken down, because they now need the ‘real thing’. As the liver breaks these down, a byproduct, bilirubin, is formed which has a yellow color. High levels of this can cause neurological damage, as well as a yellow coloring of the skin. That is where these blue lights come in, the phototherapy helps break down bilirubin into something harmless.”

Ilse and Jack nodded, both numb. The doctor apparently noticed and gave them a weak smile. “I know this is a lot to take in, so far you’re keeping up better than most parents,” he made a vague hand gesture. “If there is anything you want to know, just ask. There is always someone around and we’ll be happy to explain whatever you need to know. There is just one more important question.”

“Which is?” Jack asked, eyebrows raised.

“Do they have names already?”

Ilse looked at Jack and Jack returned her gaze. “I- I don’t know, Lily was pretty sure about the names, I think.”

“She was?” Jack asked, surprised.

“Yeah, we’ve been talking about it the past week and there were two names she really liked,” Ilse gave him a small smile.

“That’s okay; you just discuss the names and let us know as soon as you’re sure. At least they’re a different gender, which will make it easier to refer to one of them,” he joked before walking to his office.

 


	35. Life

**  
**

Sam smiled at Mark as he finished his toast and sat back down. It was quite nice; he had always been good with words and knew her as well as Pete. Daniel’s speech had been wonderful as well, as he probably knew her better than her own brother did. She had been a bit disappointed with her father’s short speech and she just knew he had done it on purpose, because he didn’t agree with her choice – at least the Asgard had been able to heal him and Selmak and they were able to be present for her big day. Hilda had also made a speech earlier, followed by one by Rob, as he was Pete’s best friend.

“I was wondering where the other general from your engagement party was, Sam,” Mark told her, curiosity in his eyes.

She jabbed her father in his side as he snorted at Mark’s comment and gave Mark a small smile. “General O’Neill?”

“Yeah, wasn’t he your CO? It looked like you got along.”

“He isn’t… Not my CO anymore, I mean. He transferred to Washington.”

“Oh and he couldn’t make it to the wedding?”

Slightly uncomfortable, she shifted in her chair. “Um… no, there was an emergency which he had to attend.”

Seemingly satisfied with her answer, Mark nodded and fell into conversation with Pete and Rob.

“Sam, you’re considered a genius in at least two galaxies and that is all you could come up with?” Daniel taunted her in a whispering tone.

Frowning, she turned to him and Cassie, who was eavesdropping. “No,” she drawled out the word. “It’s what he said, why he had to leave,” she shrugged.

“What? I thought you hadn’t seen him since Sunday,” Cassie replied.

“Yes, that _was_ Sunday.”

“What kind of emergency? Is that why we couldn’t get a hold of him?” Daniel inquired, making a vague hand gesture.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged again.

Cocking her head to the side, Cassie frowned at Sam. “What do you mean? Did you two talk at all?”

“Yeah we talked,” Sam elaborated, a bit reluctant. “He got a phone call from Ilse, I think, and said it was an emergency. After which he called his office to contact Colonel Pendergast for, eh… help.”

“He didn’t explain anything?” Cassie asked a bit surprised since she had expected him to in order to stop Sam from marrying Pete.

Sam made a dismissive wave with her hand, before replying. “He didn’t have to.”

By now, Cassie was utterly confused. “What?”

“He tried, but I told him he didn’t have to explain,” Sam nonchalantly said, her tone belying her true unease. “He said it was an emergency and it is none of my business.”

“I can’t believe you did that,” Cassie stammered, realizing Jack had probably been on the verge of explaining everything. “Wait, what kind of emergency?”

Shrugging, Sam replied. “I don’t know, he said something about ‘life and death’-importance, like in DC, but I already made up my mind, Cassie.”

Life and death… Washington DC, their dinner. It had been canceled because of Lily, Cassie thought, closing her eyes at the implication. Jack wouldn’t have stood Sam up if there wasn’t a good reason, which there was: Lily had been sick. Now, he had just left her while they had been talking, while he had been about to spill everything? Ilse had called him and it was an emergency, which could never be good. Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“What? Cassie, where are you going?” Sam asked stunned, she couldn’t leave now!

“I have to call Jack, see what’s going on,” Cassie explained as she got up.

Sam grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Wait, why?”

“Why?” Cassie asked incredulous. “Because I – unlike you – am actually interested in hearing what he has to say,” she said through gritted teeth, really not liking this new, selfish side of Sam.

“Cassie, wait,” Daniel intervened. “Can’t you just call later?”

“No, Daniel, I have to call him now,” Cassie replied in a petulant tone.

Standing up, Daniel pulled her closer. “Please Cassie, I know you don’t like this anymore than we do, but do you have to leave at Sam’s wedding day?” He whispered in her ear.

Leaning back, Cassie frowned at him. “Yes, I do. Unlike some of you, I haven’t forgotten about Jack,” she said before storming off.

* * *

 

“Where is Lily?” Jack asked as soon as he walked into the room with the empty bed, looking around for any sign of her.

“She woke up and they took her to see the babies,” Ilse mentioned, standing by the window.

Walking over to her, Jack handed her a cup of tea while sipping his own coffee. “How was she?”

“Feeling like crap.”

“Yeah, I can only imagine,” he stated in a sad tone, looking out the window but not seeing anything. “Where’s Anna?”

“She went with Lily, I told her to go while I’d watch Milou,” she motioned her head to the sleeping baby in the corner. “Mom hadn’t seen them yet, since Milou wasn’t allowed to go in, with the risks of infection and such, so I figured she should go now and give Lil some emotional support.”

Nodding, Jack agreed with her. He felt uncomfortable, he had wanted to be there when Lily would wake, he needed to see with his own eyes how she was doing. The moment he had opened the door and noticed her missing, something seemed to squeeze the life out of him, afraid he was too late and she had passed while he was getting a damn coffee.

“Did you have a chance to talk to her?”

Shaking her head, Ilse gave him a sideways glance. “No, she was really tired, had a sore throat, and was still a bit drugged up, I think.”

“Of course,” he muttered. “How long do you think they’ll be?”

Ilse shrugged and took a sip of her tea, before sitting down by Milou’s stroller. “I don’t know, but by the way she looked, I don’t think they want her out of bed too long.”

Jack noticed the sad tone in her voice and gave her a small smile, but he knew there wasn’t anything he could do for her. He wished there was, he would give anything if it meant Lily would live and Ilse would show a genuine smile again. Fate was playing a cruel game, as if losing his son wasn’t bad enough now he was about to lose his little sister, who just became a mother of three mere hours ago. God, she was so young, had so much to live for… what did he really have?

The door opened and Anna pushed the wheelchair with Lily in it into the room.

“Hey,” Lily greeted him with a rough voice.

“Well, you look–”

“Like crap? On the brink of death?”

Clearing his throat, Jack scowled at her. “Actually, I was going to say that you look better than I had expected.”

“Oh… thanks, I guess,” she smiled sheepishly. Grabbing his arm and her IV pole, she pulled herself up and took the few steps to the bed. By the time he lowered her on it, she was exhausted. She could see her own reflection in the window and squinted at him. “I guess I don’t want to know what you _were_ expecting, huh?”

Smiling bashfully, Jack wisely ignored her remark and gently tucked her in, making sure none of the tubes and wires were crossed or bothering her. Brushing her bangs out of her face, Ilse handed him a headband and Lily grabbed it out of his hands, probably not wanting him to poke out her eye with it as he had almost done when she was a kid. The blond strands of hair were a bit damp; as was her forehead and he realized how much it had taken her to get up out of the wheelchair and walk over to the bed. Looking around, he found a bowl and filled it with water in the adjoining bathroom.

“Ilse… water,” Lily pointed towards her cup and Ilse immediately got up and gave it to her. Her throat was still sore from the intubation during surgery and she quickly downed the water, the cool liquid taking some of the edge of.

Jack walked back into the room and grabbed a soft cloth from the closet, which had some of Lily’s personal stuff in it. Sitting down next to her on the bed, he gently dabbed her forehead with the wet cloth, while his other hand stroked her hair. “How did it go?”

A slow smile spread on her face and Lily couldn’t help beaming, thinking about her new babies. “They’re beautiful,” she sighed. “So tiny.”

He noticed the change of her tone in her last words and looking at her youthful features, he was surprised to see the pained expression gracing them. “It’s not your fault, you did everything you could. They couldn’t wait any longer.”

“I know,” she replied in a resigned tone.

“One of the nurses left these with me,” Anna said, stepping forward and placing the paperwork on the side table.

“Seems the paperwork just can’t leave me alone,” Jack joked, eliciting a soft – and somewhat distorted – chuckle from his little sister. He glanced at the official looking paperwork, before looking at Ilse and Anna. “What does it say?”

“Um…,” Ilse started, trying to find the right words. “It’s to name the babies,” she lamely explained, knowing they understood what she meant.

Raising his eyebrows, Jack gave Lily an expectant look. “About that, Ilse said you had them picked already?”

“As a matter of fact, I have,” she smiled again, showing off the small dimples in her cheeks.

“You’re sure? You don’t want to think about it for a few more days?” Jack asked, knowing full well she might not have a few more days, but still wanting to make sure she didn’t rush this.

“Positive. Besides, you have to report a baby within three days of birth to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages,” Lily commented. Grabbing the pen Jack handed her, she tried getting up to fill out the forms, but she was too tired. “Ilse, wil jij…?”

Immediately knowing that her sister wanted her to fill out the papers for her, she acquiesced taking the pen from her.

A nurse came walking in, ushering them all out, as Lily needed to rest.

Seeing them stall, Lily told them to go. “Go over to Ilse’s apartment, it’s just a ten minute walk. Get some sleep, shower, eat something and come back when you’re well rested, because you all look like crap,” she joked.

Anna was the first to move, making a beeline to Milou’s stroller, and placing her in Lily’s arms to say goodbye. She quickly collected the baby’s things and eventually placed Milou back into the stroller, after which she took her time to say goodbye to her daughter. No one said what they were thinking; this could be the last time they would be talking.

Ilse hugged her little sister tightly as Anna took Milou outside. “Don’t worry, I’ll fill in the papers on the way out and hand them to the doctor,” she whispered into her ear after asking for confirmation about the names.

Following Ilse, whose shoulders drooped slightly, with his eyes, Jack waited until she was out of the room. “Are you sure…?”

“Go Jack,” Lily said admonishing, scowling.

“What if…,” too afraid to say what he was thinking, he broke of his sentence.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you get back,” she replied, emphasizing her words with a nod. Seeing the doubt in his eyes, she continued. “Jack, I won’t die on you… well, at least not today.” The light tone belied her feelings, they both knew it; it was her coping mechanism.

“You sure about that?”

“One hundred percent,” she smiled. “I wouldn’t do that you, this day is awful enough with Carter’s wedding and all,” she softly explained.

Nodding, Jack walked over to her to hug her slender frame – he knew she kept losing weight due to the cancer, but without her protruding belly she looked extremely skinny – and found he couldn’t say anything with the lump in his throat, so instead he grinned and gave her a wink before leaving.

 

* * *

 

Standing in front of the glass dividing her and the babies in the NICU, Ilse stared at her niece and nephew. The doctor had assured her that they were still doing well and were strong, but that didn’t change the visual in front of her; the tiny babies, lying in their incubators, tubes and wires sticking out of them. Bathing in blue light from the phototherapy, the babies only looked frailer and in contrast, the machines looked huge. Looking down, she placed the papers in front of her and started scribbling the necessary things.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around to see Jack and her mother walking up to her, Milou fast asleep in her stroller. “Hey,” she gave them a small smile, but her eyes weren’t in it.

“How are they doing?”

“The same, which was a good sign according to the neonatologist,” Ilse answered Jack, looking down at her paperwork.

Peering over her shoulder, Jack noticed the empty line. “Why is that one empty?”

“Oh, eh… I haven’t filled that one in yet.”

“I can see that,” Jack said in an irritated voice. “Isn’t that where you’re supposed to fill out Paul what’s his name?”

“De Vries and yes, it should,” Ilse hesitantly started, looking at her mother for approval.

“What? Am I missing something?”

“He signed off his rights,” Anna stated in a bitter tone.

“He did _what_?” Jack exclaimed, loud enough to startle the people around them. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Why would he do that? When did he do that, they’re not even a day old.”

“When Lily told him about the pregnancy.”

“Did she tell him about her illness?”

“Yes, which is why we had so much paperwork to work out, remember?” Ilse asked him, referring to the paperwork she had brought with her to Colorado Springs one day.

Nodding, Jack dragged his hand through his hair. “What about Milou?”

“He never acknowledged her,” Ilse started, but Jack interrupted her.

“ _What_? Why didn’t I know this?”

“Because Lily knew you’d freak out and kill him, or worse,” Ilse softly explained.

“Probably… still might,” Jack huffed, angry about being kept out of the loop.

“They were separated at the time, if you remember,” Ilse tried, not knowing why in hell she was defending an asshole like Paul. “Want to know the names?” She cheerily asked, trying to change the subject.

Anna and Jack’s heads both snapped up and the eager look in their eyes couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than pure curiosity and caring.

“Drums please,” Ilse quipped, before taking a deep breath. “Okay, the boy will be named Nathan O’Neill, which is, of course, derived from Jonathan as your father called you, Jack. In case you were wondering, Nathan is Hebrew for gift from God or – like Jonathan – God has given. Nathan’s sister’s name is Madison O’Neill, but she’ll probably go by Maddy,” Ilse mumbled.

“What? That name doesn’t mean anything?” Jack joked, looking at Maddy and Nathan, who were sound asleep behind the glass wall.

Scrunching up her nose, Ilse muttered something under her breath, before replying. “Yeah, Madison means ‘son of a mighty warrior,’ or something along those lines, which is lame, but Lily really likes the name and so do I.”

“Me too,” Jack nodded, smiling at Ilse and Anna.

“As do I,” Anna confirmed. “Yes, Nathan and Maddy, I like it.”

 


	36. Loss

Stepping out of the shower, Jack grabbed a towel and dried his face, before wrapping it around his hips. Looking around, he found the toothbrush Ilse had given him and brushed his teeth. He should probably shave, Jack mused, seeing his reflection in the mirror. Hearing a knock on the door, he spat out the toothpaste and cleaned his mouth. Two steps and he reached the door, quickly unlocking it he opened the door to see Ilse smiling at him.

“Cassie wants to talk to you,” Ilse said, handing him her phone. “She couldn’t reach you and I gave her my number when I was in Colorado Springs, so she called me.”

“Just let me get dressed, okay?” He gave her the phone back and walked into the guest room she had prepared for him. Drying himself with the towel, he grabbed a pair of boxers and stonewashed jeans he’d left with Ilse the last time he was here. Slipping in them, he walked back to the room, picking up a black sweater on the way and pulled it over his head, before taking the phone from Ilse.

Turning towards the window and looking out into the night, he took the soda Anna handed him. “Cassie?”

_“Jack!”_

_“_ Aren’t you supposed to be at Carter’s wedding?” Jack snorted, thinking about Carter marrying that stalking, distrustful cop.

 _“Yeah, well, I wasn’t in the partying mood,”_ Cassie sighed.

Frowning, Jack thought for a moment. “You didn’t go? Cass, I thought we agreed that–”

_“I went, sat there smiling and even cried a bit. Mark thought I was behaving like a normal human being. Until Sam told me what happened Sunday evening.”_

Jack was just about to take a sip of his soda and he coughed loudly. “What?” He yelped, before clearing his throat. “Um… what did she tell you, exactly?”

_“Right before the wedding she told us you weren’t coming…”_

“Yeah, well, I told her I probably wasn’t able to come by–”

_“She said something about not seeing each other anymore?”_

Hearing the sadness in her question, Jack sighed. “Cassie, it’s for the best. I’ll be in DC, she’ll stay in Colorado Springs with her new husband and play house. I don’t think I could stand by the sideline, watching her.”

_“What about the emergency? Did… is Lily all right?”_

“No, she’s not. We just left the hospital a few hours ago, because she needed to rest… it doesn’t look good, Cassie.”

 _“Oh, Jack, I’m so sorry,”_ she sniffled.

“They had to perform an emergency c-section…” Jack told her about Nathan and Maddy and their precarious condition, as well as Lily’s endangered health.

* * *

 

Giving Jack his privacy, Ilse and her mother had moved into the kitchen. Anna had put Milou down the moment they came home and it was almost time for her to wake up, needing to be fed. Ilse had decided they could take a glass of wine to relax after the emotional draining day they’d had and as soon as she took her last sip, she heard her little niece crying through the intercom.

“I’ll take her, why don’t you go get some sleep,” she told her mother, who had been taking care of Milou the last few days. Ilse was still young and energetic and could adapt quickly to Milou’s schedule, but she knew her mother had more difficulty adjusting. It had been twenty years since she had to get up for an infant and she was already having trouble sleeping, so Ilse didn’t mind taking care of Milou. She loved the little girl as if she were her own. Grabbing the diaper bag in the living room, she walked over to the room she had converted to the baby room.

Picking up Milou, she soothed her in a soft tone, before laying her down next to the diaper bag. Quietly singing her a song, Ilse changed her diaper. Every now and then, she’d tickle the baby to see that big smile of hers. It was Lily’s smile… the smile that hadn’t been gracing her little sister’s face for days if not weeks. The only time it would break through was if Jack was there or if she was cuddling Milou. And of course, this afternoon after she had visited her babies.

Fastening the new diaper, she pulled down the onesie and cuddled the baby. Ilse smiled as she heard Milou cooing and she rocked the little girl, while telling her a story.

* * *

 

Yawning, Jack stretched his tall frame and turned on his side to look at the alarm clock. Seeing it was past 0800 hours, he got up from his comfy bed and grabbed a shirt before walking over to the open kitchen.

“Goedemorgen,” Anna greeted him.

“Morning,” Jack answered, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “The hospital hasn’t called?”

“No, and that’s a good sign, Jack,” she replied, turning the page of her newspaper.

“Is Ilse still asleep?”

“Showering.”

Nodding, Jack grabbed some bread and joined Anna at the breakfast table. _Ah, cheese, now that I like_ , he thought smirking. Putting cheese on his bread, he automatically reached over for the discarded pieces of paper next to Anna. He took a sip of his coffee, before focusing his attention at the newspaper. “Right,” he muttered under his breath, realizing it was a Dutch paper.

“Don’t worry about it, nothing special happened,” Anna grinned at him, realizing his mistake. “You know, you’re never too old to learn…”

Huffing at her suggestion, he pushed the paper out of the way and ate his breakfast.

“Morgen,” Ilse cheerily greeted the two people in her apartment, before walking over to the counter to make herself a cup of tea. Hearing the two muttered replies, she turned and quirked an eyebrow. “Haven’t had your caffeine shot yet?”

Shrugging, Jack gave her a small smile. “Jetlag, I think.”

“Yeah, me too,” Anna remarked, using anything as an excuse to not have to think about Lily.

“I understand, that hour driving the other day must have worn you out,” Ilse teased her mother.

They all knew why they were upset and no one felt like talking about it.

“Did you have to get up a lot?”

Looking at her mother, Ilse shook her head. “No, Milou only woke me two times after I went to sleep. She’s really settling into her new routine, which is good.”

“Hmhm,” Anna confirmed, taking a sip of coffee.

Placing his plate in the sink, Jack turned to the two women. “What time do you think we’ll go to the hospital?”

“I don’t know, I’m almost done, just have to finish my hair and makeup. I already bathed and fed Milou, so she’s about ready to go as well.”

“I already took a shower,” Anna added. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Give me ten minutes,” Jack said, before going to his room to grab some of his clothes and headed to the bathroom.

* * *

 

Walking down the parking lot, Jack picked up his pace. It had taken him longer than he’d thought to find a free spot and the women had already gone inside as it had started to rain. He ran the last few meters to the door and quickly found his way to Lily’s hospital room. After a rap on the door, he opened it and went inside.

“Hey,” Lily smiled at his wet appearance. “Gotten wet, huh?”

“Yeah,” Jack grimaced, dragging a hand through his hair. Turning his head to the other man in the room, he quirked his eyebrows. “And this is…?”

“Our family doctor,” Lily said in a soft, apologizing tone.

Automatically shaking the other man’s hand and introducing himself, Jack didn’t realize the implications until he sat down and saw the looks on everyone’s face. “Family doctor? Why?”

“Jack, I told you about this,” Lily started carefully, trying to find the right words. “He’s here to make the final arrangements.”

“Arrangements?”

“You know,” Ilse poked him. “Lil told you this a few weeks ago,” she bit her lower lip.

Realization dawned on him and all Jack could do was nod. “When?”

Feeling guilty, Lily swallowed and avoided his gaze. “It depends on what the notary has to say. He’ll drop by early in the afternoon and then we can set a date. This was just a routine checkup.”

“Right,” Jack snorted. “A routine checkup.”

“Why don’t you go over to Nathan and Maddy, the doctor told me the treatment seems to be working when I was there this morning.” Lily told the others, wanting, _needing_ , to talk to her doctor alone. This was something she had to do on her own, the last thing she would do. “Milou is asleep, she can stay here.”

“Tot straks,” Ilse nodded at the doctor and Lily, telling them she’d see them later, as she pushed Jack and her mother out of the room. She knew what this was about, what her sister needed to do and why she had to do it. That didn’t mean it wasn’t hard on them, though.

“So, we’re just going to let them…?” Jack asked, still a bit confused and surprised.

“What else can we do? After all, it’s her choice,” Anna replied in a sad voice. It was heartbreaking, but she knew it was for the best.

They walked over to the NICU in silence and as they got there, they put on their special suits and walked over to the incubators.

* * *

 

“Cassie, I’m glad you came back,” Sam greeted the younger woman, happy to see her after opening the front door.

“I just came to say goodbye,” she replied in an apologizing tone.

It was only now that Sam noticed Cassie had traded her auburn colored dress for tight black jeans and a green top. “Goodbye?”

Nodding, Cassie walked past Sam and entered the house. “Yeah, I called Daniel and he told me you were on your way home to grab your stuff for the honeymoon.”

“It’ll only be two weeks, Cassie,” Sam smiled, closing the door.

“No, it won’t.”

Frowning, Sam walked up to her. “What are you talking about?”

“I won’t be here when you get back,” Cassie bashfully admitted.

“Why, are you going to spend the rest of your summer vacation on campus?” she asked her in a disapproving tone.

“Um… no,” Cassie started.

“Cassandra Fraiser–”

“Don’t ‘Cassandra Fraiser’ me, Sam,” Cassie yelled angrily, surprising both of them.

Placing a soothing hand on her shoulder, Sam responded. “Cassie… You can’t just go, I’m still your legal guardian, and Janet would–”

“Don’t you dare, Sam!” Cassie exclaimed, taking a step back, trying to rein in her anger. “If Mom were still alive, she would’ve never let you marry that stalking, good for nothing cop!”

“Cassie!”

“It’s true and we both know it,” Cassie petulantly replied to Sam’s scolding. “She never liked Pete and she knew about your fee–”

“Cassie,” Sam said through gritted teeth, trying to keep her calm. Pete was still upstairs; he didn’t have to overhear this. “I love Pete and I don’t understand where all this is coming from?”

Huffing, Cassie turned away from her and walked over to the window. “You must’ve known we all think he’s not right for you.”

“Now you’re telling me this?”

“I’m sorry, Sam, It wasn’t my intention to upset you before you leave for your honeymoon. You just never asked any of us how we felt about it, probably because you already knew what we would say,” she stated, giving Sam a curious look. “Besides, you already made up your mind.”

Padding over to Cassie, Sam let out an exasperated sigh. “Perhaps,” she softly replied. “However, this doesn’t mean you can just leave.”

“I’m going over to Jack, he’s picking me up from the airport,” Cassie retorted, waving her hand over to her car. “He needs me more than you do.”

Sam gave her an appraising look and realized she was telling the truth. Nodding, she gave Cassie a hug. “Be careful.”

“Always,” Cassie smiled. “I don’t know when I’ll be back, though.”

“Okay,” Sam relented, watching as Cassie gave her a last smile and walked out the door. Hearing the door slam, Sam swallowed. She couldn’t help but wonder what fate had in store for her; first the General and now Cassie…

* * *

“What did Cassie want?” Ilse asked as they were on their way back to Lily’s room from lunch.

“She wanted to know how I was doing and what the emergency was. Apparently, Carter told everyone I couldn’t be there because of an emergency. Cassie was quite upset, actually and booked a flight. She’ll probably be here tomorrow.”

“I can imagine, she’s always thought that you and Carter would end up together…”

Jack just scowled at her, daring her to say anything else, which she didn’t.

“Isn’t it better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?” Anna asked as she walked up to Jack, stopping him in front of Lily’s door. She motioned Ilse to go inside.

“Well, that’s just the thing,” Jack sarcastically replied. “I love her and I’ve lost her.”

“Perhaps you should have acted sooner,” she offered.

Clenching his jaw, Jack held back the curse that was forming in his mouth. “Yeah, I guess we’ll never know, now will we?”

“You don’t know until you try.”

“She married another man yesterday.”

“Marriages can be annulled.”

“That simple, huh?” Jack asked her, cocking his head to the side.

“I didn’t say that. You’re going through a lot of changes in your life right now, your priorities have shifted. The same apparently goes for her, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s too late,” Anna told him, sympathizing with the son of the love of her life.

“I went out on a limb for her,” Jack huffed. “I put myself out there, not once, not twice, but over three times. She rejected me and chose the _cop_ , what else is there?”

“Did you tell her you love her?”

Swallowing, Jack shifted on his feet. “Not in those words… I can’t, it’s still against regulations,” he let out an exasperated sigh.

“Maybe that’s your problem.”

“Daniel told me everyone knows I love her, _hell_ , she knows!”

Giving him a sympathizing smile, Anna squeezed his shoulder. “Thinking and knowing are two different things, Jack. You have nothing to lose; your friendship is lost anyway.”

“I know,” he sighed, rubbing his neck in frustration. “I asked her if there was anything I could do to stop the wedding and she said no. Carter said the guy makes her happy, that’s all I want for her.”

“What about you, Jack? Don’t you deserve to be happy?”

Jack just shrugged, ready to end this conversation and go inside.

Placing a hand on his arm, she stopped him. “You do, you know.” Squeezing his wrist one last time, she let go and opened the door herself.

“Carter is on her honeymoon by now, with the cop that makes her happy,” Jack softly whispered.

Turning back to him, she closed the door again. “Jack… I used to think I was happy. I’m not saying that what your father and I did was the right thing to do, but if I were to go back in time, I’d do it all over again. Only this time, I would probably handle it a bit better, Ilse and Bert were innocent in the affair, but they were the ones that got hurt badly. I thought I was happy with Bert, but looking back, I know I was just content. Because if that is supposed to be happiness, being with your father made me,” Anna paused for a minute, thinking of the right word. “Ecstatic.”

“She says she’s happy, that’s all I want for her,” Jack repeated in a resigned tone.

Nodding her understanding, Anna opened the door.

* * *

 

 “This is my brother, Jack,” Lily said, introducing Jack and the notary.

Sitting down, Jack gave the other man an inquiring look. “How does it look?”

“The paperwork is all worked out, everything looks great. I just need to see some identification and a signature,” the man replied, pointing at the papers.

Jack nodded, pulling out his wallet and giving the man the documents he needed. In turn, the notary gave him the papers and Jack signed his name several times, before returning them. “What about you?” He asked the other women.

“I only need two signatures from their mother, with her being a witness,” the man answered, gesturing towards Lily and Ilse, while looking at Anna.

Anna got up and showed him her identification before signing the papers herself.

The notary packed his stuff, and said his goodbyes, leaving the five of them alone in the room.

“Can you hand me Milou?” Lily asked Jack, gesturing towards the stroller.

Jack immediately got up and picked up the little girl. It was strange, she was almost eight months old and already had two siblings, he mused, handing her over to Lily. “The doctor told us Nathan and Maddy are doing better than was to be expected, their blood values were looking good and their brains seem to be functioning properly as well.”

“I know, they said they would keep them here for at least three more weeks, which was to be expected,” Lily nodded, while stroking the soft, blond hairs of her sleeping daughter.

“I noticed they both have dark hair,” Jack casually mentioned.

“Yeah, they must have gotten that from Paul,” Lily uttered.

“Not per se,” Anna commented, shifting in her chair to get comfortable. “Ilse was born with black hair and she turned blond in a few months.”

“Really?” Jack asked, surprised.

“Yeah, I saw pictures,” Ilse smirked. “It was actually a good look for me.”

“Well, I guess you’ll find out sooner or later,” Lily sighed, holding back a sob while hugging her daughter closer to her.

Ilse sat down next to her and scooted closer on the bed, throwing an arm around her sister in an effort to comfort her. She could feel her own tears forming and quickly blinked them away.

“Do you want me to call the family doctor?” Anna asked, now that the notary had come by and everything was settled.

Shaking her head, Lily told her no. “I’ll do it later, after you’re gone.”

Squeezing her sister tighter, Ilse looked up. “Cassie is coming over; I think she’d really like to meet you.”

“When will she be here?” Lily asked, looking over to Jack. He’d told her about the girl, the adopted daughter of one of his deceased friends when he’d gotten joint guardianship over her with Carter.

Shrugging, Jack got up and stretched his legs, walking over to the window. “I’m not sure; she’ll probably land here tomorrow morning. I told her I’d pick her up from the airport.”

“I can’t wait,” Lily replied, yawning. Without words, she gave her daughter a kiss, handed Milou over to Ilse, and rubbed her eyes. “I’m exhausted, you should probably go… it’s dinner time already.”

Turning back to her, Jack’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you sure? We could stay here and you could still sleep…”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll see you guys in the morning….”

Nodding, they all hugged her goodbye before leaving.

* * *

 

“Have you called Cassie to ask about her flight?” Ilse asked as she was chopping vegetables for dinner.

“I got a text as soon as I turned my phone back on and she’ll be landing here at 0800 hours,” Jack yelled from the living room, where he was playing with Milou.

“Do you want me to drive you to the airport or you think you can find it on your own?”

Picking up Milou, she immediately clung to his shirt and he smiled. Jack walked over to the kitchen with her on his arm. “Well, if you want to give me a ride, I’d appreciate it,” he grinned.

Turning to him, Ilse put down the knife and smiled. “Yeah, we’ll leave at seven, to make sure we’re on time.” Grabbing a towel, she dried off her hands and walked over to Milou, to play a little game with her niece.

Jack shifted Milou on his arm, so she could look at her auntie and he watched as they played a little game. Milou was cooing from joy and reaching out for Ilse’s fingers with her chubby little hands. “Don’t you mean ‘peek-a-boo’?” Jack asked her teasingly.

“Is that what you call it?” Scrunching up her nose, Ilse looked at him. “We call it ‘kiekeboe,’ you can play the English variation, I’ll do the Dutch, deal?”

“Sure,” he smiled, handing Milou over to Ilse. Glancing at the counter, he asked what was for dinner, not recognizing anything.

“Nothing special, just spaghetti with a salad,” Ilse mumbled, snacking on a piece of cucumber and shifting Milou to her other arm, carefully supporting her back and head, so she could walk over to the stove and stir the sauce.

“Excellent,” Jack grinned, grabbing a piece of tomato and watching her cook with the baby in her arms. She looked rather natural doing it, and he knew she didn’t have _that_ much experience. “Looks like you’ve adjusted pretty fast.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, putting down the spoon and turning to him, while gently rocking Milou.

Using his hand, he made vague gesture between Ilse, Milou and the counter. “You, cooking with a baby on your arm.”

“Oh, well, I’ve been babysitting a lot the last few weeks,” she gave him a shy smile. “Milou is always so easy, so it didn’t take long to adjust.”

“Ah,” he said, winking at her. “How much longer until dinner’s ready?”

“Three more minutes for the pasta, I just have to chop the lettuce… so you can set the table if you want?”

“I’ll take her,” he said, grabbing his niece so Ilse could finish dinner, before placing her in a playpen and setting the table.

* * *

 

 “Jack!” Cassie yelled, running up to him and launching herself in his arms.

“Oompf,” Jack uttered at the impact. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her tightly. “Good thing I just handed the baby over,” he muttered, glancing at Ilse and Milou who were standing to his side.

“Sorry,” smiling sheepishly, Cassie turned to where Ilse was standing with Milou. “Hello,” she said shyly.

“No hug?” Ilse asked, smiling and stretching out one arm, while keeping Milou in place with the other.

Cassie hugged her gently, careful for the little baby in her arms. “Who is this?” She asked, grinning. She might be a med student, but she hardly ever came in contact with babies and thought those little humans were cute.

“Milou,” Ilse smiled, turning the girl towards Cassie.

“She’s cute,” Cassie smiled at Jack and Ilse. “She’s Lily’s daughter?”

Jack nodded an affirmative, before taking Cassandra’s bag and swinging it over his shoulder. “Let’s get to the car and then to the hospital, you can awe about or play with her later.”

“Okay,” she smiled, falling in step with him, Ilse on her other side.

* * *

 

“Lily?” Ilse asked, as she tapped on the door.

“Binnen!”

Hearing her approval, she pushed the door open with one shoulder and entered the room. Immediately walking over to her sister, she handed Milou over and then she greeted their family doctor.

“I brought someone with me, who wants to meet you,” Jack grinned, walking into the room.

“Cassie?” Lily asked, giving him a wide smile.

The door opened further and Cassie shyly walked into the room, turning towards the bed. Jack had told her that Lily was very ill and didn’t look too good – she was going to med school and had known what he meant as he told her about her condition – so she didn’t really know what to expect. “Hi,” she greeted, walking over and taking the other woman’s hand.

“Hello Cassandra,” Lily shook her hand and smiled at her. “I’m Lily.”

“A pleasure,” Cassie replied, smiling as well. It didn’t take her long to see the resemblance between Lily and Ilse, even if Lily had an ill complexion, watery eyes and wore her hair back. As she looked at her eyes, she recognized Jack’s eyes immediately and her smile grew wider. Those eyes were so familiar to her!

“Yes, it is, I’m glad you could make it. Jack has told me a lot about you, ever since he met you and you were adopted and I was dying to meet you – pardon the pun,” giving her a patented O’Neill smirk, Lily squeezed her hand.

Chuckling, Cassie decided that she liked her. It was strange, Jack’s little sister wasn’t even five years older than she, yet she looked older, more experienced. Not that Cassie hadn’t had a rough childhood; she’d seen her entire planet die, was brought to Earth and adopted into a culture she didn’t know and wasn’t allowed to talk about it with anyone without proper clearance. Then her second mother, Janet Fraiser, had been killed off-world and she was all alone again. Still, there was something in Lily’s eyes, like maturity and wisdom beyond her years. Cassie knew that Lily was gravely ill, but she could still make the same lame jokes as Jack she noticed. 

“Well, I don’t know that much about you yet,” she shamefully admitted, while sitting down next to her on the bed. “But Jack and Ilse filled me in a bit about you and I really wanted to meet you.”

“Jack should’ve come clean sooner, that way we could’ve gotten to know each other better,” Lily replied in a wistful tone.

“Yeah,” Cassie agreed, scowling at Jack. “I had no idea… and now that I do, I feel so sorry for you.”

“Don’t be sorry, I’ve had a good life,” she smiled a sincere smile and looked at her entire family. “I have done and seen things… For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a singer and musician and while attending high school I did just that. After graduating, I recorded my own songs; I toured through Europe and even went to the States a few times to perform. I may be barely legal, Jack,” she stuck her tongue out at him, “but I made my dream come true. I have a brother and sister who mean so much to me and have always been there for me. My mother, who raised me on her own after my father died before his time. I met Paul, and I’ll be the first to admit we weren’t meant for one another, but he did give me my beautiful children…”

She shifted slightly on the bed, trying to get more comfortable. Milou was getting heavy in her arms and she was afraid her arms would give out. “Ilse?” She asked, in a panicky voice.

Ilse sat down at her other side and silently took Milou out of her arms, so that Lily could still stroke her hair. “It’s okay, I’ve got her,” she soothed her little sister. “Have you seen the twins today?”

Nodding, Lily slowly sat up a bit. “Yeah, Mom took me before you guys got here. Their chances for survival are growing by the hour, the neonatologist said,” she smiled proudly. “They’re so perfect, even if somewhat tiny. Nathan has brown eyes, did you notice?”

“Yeah, I saw, Maddy still has blue eyes,” Jack confirmed in a slightly emotional voice. “They’re just as beautiful as their mother.”

Reaching down, Lily kissed the soft hairs of Milou and traced her features with a finger, taking in every detail of her face. Her daughter opened her big, brown eyes and looked curiously at her. Lily gave her a bittersweet smile, before kissing her little nose. She nodded at Anna, who held her in a tight hug, whispering in her ear. She could feel her mother’s tears trailing down her own neck and she squeezed her a bit harder, before leaning back.

Jack watched as the two of them were holding one another, while whispering in Dutch. Seeing them so emotionally torn, he swallowed hard. He could hear and understand a lot of what they were saying to each other, heard the held back sobs in their voices, and it almost broke his heart. Focusing his eyes on his little sister, he noticed she was beckoning him over as Anna stepped back with Milou in her arms.

“Jack?”

He took Anna’s seat on the bed and took Lily’s frail hands in his larger ones. He remembered the first time he had seen her use those slender fingers on the black and white keys of his father’s piano, while Jack had been teaching her the basics. She had only been five or six at the time, but her intuition had taken over and he had realized how talented she was. Now, sixteen years later, those fingers were longer yet still slender and could play any score with a piano, guitar, or sax. If they weren’t used to make music, they would fiddle with a mike and she would use that angelic voice to make a different kind of music that went straight to one’s soul. Either that, or those fingers were playing with her daughter’s hair, onesies or would change a diaper. He felt a lump forming in his throat as he realized these fingers would never have the chance to play with her newborns…

Clearing his throat, he tried to keep his emotions under wraps and he looked up from her hands. He saw eyes similar to his staring back, wondering, caring and silently crying. It was too much and he looked away for a second, forcing the sadness back into the corner of his soul. “Yeah?” He asked in a strangled voice, silently berating his own weakness.

Letting go of one of his hands, Lily brought hers up to his cheek, forcing him to look at her. She let her finger trail the lines on his face, as she had done so many times years ago, when she was still a little girl happy to see her older brother after weeks of absence. “I meant what I said,” she softly stated, her finger tracing the scar in his eyebrow, which he’d gotten a few years ago. “I owe you more than I could ever repay and that’s just talking about the way you were always there for me, never too tired or annoyed to answer my questions about anything. You have always been more than willing to tell me about my father’s side of my family and about our father in particular. You helped me learn his language, to find my way into the world and most of all you were the one that introduced me to my music. Always encouraging me not to settle for anything but the best, and living my life to the fullest. I’m not even going to talk about the classified work you’ve done for as long as I have lived, protecting every innocent life all over the globe,” she quickly swiped the tears out of her eyes.

Inhaling deeply, she held her breath for a moment, gaining control over her emotions, before letting out a shaky sigh. “I know I have no right to ask you for anything after everything you have done for me, but I’m going to be selfish and ask anyway.”

Everyone let out a nervous chuckle at her words, and Jack and Lily even managed to give each other a lopsided grin.

Feeling her tears forming once again, Lily bit her lip and continued. “I asked you this weeks ago, while I was preparing for the worst and I know we already went over this too many times, but I have to ask: will you take–” She sniffled and cleared her throat. “Will you take good care of them for me?”

“Always,” Jack tried giving her a reassuring smile, but he knew he failed the moment he felt his own eyes tearing up. “I promised you and I always keep my word. Don’t worry about it; I’ll take good care of them.”

“I- I want you to raise them as your own, Jack,” she gasped, repressing tears. “Milou is still young, she won’t remember me…”

As she broke down, Jack wrapped her in his arms, letting her cry for the first time since she had heard her prognosis. Her body was shaking against his as she cried her eyes out, bawling, and he rubbed soothing circles on her back while whispering in her ear. “I’ll never let her forget you, Lil, never.”

“Promise me you’ll raise them as if they were yours,” she said, leaning back and looking at him.

“I promise,” Jack sighed.

“We both promise,” Ilse added, hugging her sister. Lily had asked Jack to adopt the children and she had agreed to be their legal guardian, in case anything were to happen to Jack.

“Ilse will help me out and she’ll tell them all about you when they’re older,” Jack comforted her.

“You won’t lose contact?” Lily asked them sobbing, looking at them alternatively.

Shaking their heads, they both mouthed a ‘no.’

“I’ll never let them out of my sight, who else would teach them proper Dutch,” Ilse joked, making everyone smile. Taking a deep breath, Ilse’s self-control faltered. “I feel so selfish to want to keep you here,” she hesitantly started.

“We talked about this, Ilse. It’s either this, or wait until my heart finally gives in if a stroke doesn’t happen first. I don’t want that. There is nothing they can do for me, except poison me with chemo, which will only give me a month longer, tops and it will weaken me even more. I- I can’t, I’m out of energy,” she cried. “I don’t want to leave you or my babies, but I’m drained, exhausted and so tired…”

Crying as well, Ilse hugged her, feeling guilty for even mentioning it again. She knew Lily would never do this if there was another way and she also knew in how much pain her little sister was, but would never admit. Over the years, they had talked about life and death all the time, never imagining they would have to part this soon and had both agreed they wouldn’t want to spend their last days or weeks in a hospital bed, terminal, comatose, dement, or paralyzed. Now was the time for her to keep her end of the bargain and let go…

Wiping her tears and clearing her throat, Lily continued. “I left some things for you all; my notary will give them to you. My last will is also with him and I’ve taken the liberty to arrange a meeting for you after my funeral,” she mentioned in a casual tone as if she were talking about dinner plans. She nodded towards the family doctor and he walked up to her, syringe in hand.

Everyone sat back, tensed, holding back their tears because they didn’t want to break down in front of her. Lily gave them a brave smile and blew hand kisses at them when the doctor administered the lethal injection. “I love you.”

 

 


	37. Moving On

“Daniel?” Sam asked as she poked her head into his lab.

His head snapped up, hearing her voice and he smiled at her. “Sam!”

She walked over to him and gave him a hug, having missed him the past few weeks.

“Did you get my message?” Daniel inquired, leaning back and looking at her slightly tanned face.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here. Not that I wouldn’t have come if you hadn’t left a message,” she hastily added.

“What, did you prolong your honeymoon?”

“No, why?” She asked, frowning.

“Well, you were only supposed to be gone for two and a half weeks, I called you, and because you never answered I left a message. And now, two weeks later you’re here. You could’ve called me, you know,” Daniel scolded. On one hand, he was happy to see her again, but he had been worried about her after she didn’t answer or called him back.

“I’m sorry,” she squeezed his shoulder, before sitting down on a stool. “After we got back we had to unpack… Pete’s children stayed with us for an entire week, which took some getting used to,” Sam smiled sheepishly. “Then Mark asked us to come over and stay for the weekend, after which I just didn’t have the time…”

“Whatever,” Daniel huffed; turning back to the box he had been filling.

“Daniel,” Sam softly protested. “I really am sorry…”

He turned and gave her a weak smile. “Okay, fine,” his tone matched hers and he continued his packing.

“Look, it took some adjusting, okay? General Landry had already told me I wouldn’t have to start until today, so…”

“I said it was all right,” Daniel said, slightly annoyed. Seeing her bite her lip, uncomfortable and feeling guilty, he sighed. “I’m sorry. How was the honeymoon?”

“Great,” she smiled. It had been wonderful; their hotel was amazing, the beaches and different culture had actually made sure she didn’t get bored. Her mind had only started to wander as she had been tanning or reading at the pool, sometimes Jack O’Neill had popped into her head, but she had gotten quite good at repressing him. Thinking about Cassie and their last conversation had been harder to ignore and she was still a bit upset that Cassie hadn’t contacted her.

“Didn’t get out much, huh?” Daniel commented, motioning at her only slightly tanned skin.

Blushing furiously, Sam shook her head. “No, it’s not like that, Daniel. You know me; it takes me forever to get a good tan. I’m glad I didn’t turn into a lobster,” she tried joking.

Nodding absentmindedly, Daniel grabbed another pile of books and mumbled something incoherently.

“Have you seen or heard from Cassie?” Sam hesitantly asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer; was Cassie ignoring her on purpose?

“Jack told me she was with him and doing fine,” Daniel replied, without looking up. “Why?”

“Nothing… it’s just, well, she didn’t answer my calls, and I was worried.”

“Really? Well, I know how you feel,” he commented, feeling his annoyance returning in full force.

Ducking her head, Sam tried to hide the blush creeping up her neck. “Sorry,” she muttered again. “You’re sure she’s okay?”

“Why, you think Jack would lie to me?”

“No, of course not,” she immediately responded, hearing his hostility. “I just want to make sure.”

“You could try calling.”

Frowning, she cocked her head to the side. “Didn’t I just tell you she hasn’t answered my calls?”

“I meant Jack,” Daniel innocently suggested. “I believe she has a new number, now.”

“Why?”

Shrugging, Daniel just raised his brows, not knowing the answer to her question. “Ask him.”

“Daniel,” she started in an exasperated tone. “I already told you at the wedding, we’re not, eh…”

“On speaking terms? Not friends anymore? We were like family Sam; I can’t believe you’re just throwing all that away.”

“Daniel,” clenching her jaw, Sam slowly stood. “I’m not throwing anything away,” she swallowed.

“Could’ve fooled me,” he snorted.

“Our – the General and mine – friendship was based on mutual respect, years of working together and sharing a military past,” she lied, not believing her own words.

“Of course it was,” Daniel played along. “That doesn’t mean everything has to change, just because you got married. After all, you’re still sharing, eh… those feelings,” he picked his words carefully, confident she knew what he meant.

“Daniel, we agreed. Our friendship… it ended a long time ago, now we just said it aloud,” she tried explaining, but failing miserably.

“Sure,” he jeered.

Glancing around his office, she tried to think of a change of subject. “So… why are you packing?”

“Well, um… that was one of the reasons I called you. I’m leaving,” he stammered a bit, unsure of her reaction.

“What, why?” Sam exclaimed with wide eyes.

Daniel couldn’t help but smirk proudly. “I’m going to Atlantis.”

“Atlantis?”

Hearing the disbelief in her voice, he nodded animatedly. “Yeah, it took me a lot of whining, but I’m finally going to go to the Lost City of the Ancients.”

“I can’t believe it… General Landry actually approved your request? I thought he’d want you and Teal’c to stay on SG-1, with that new Colonel Mitchell,” Sam stated, still a bit stunned and confused. These last few months had been full of surprises, she mused.

“Er… it wasn’t General Landry,” Daniel softly objected, before ducking his head under the desk, pretending to pick up some books as Sam gave him a scrutinizing look.

“It wasn’t? Then who?”

“Jack,” he replied uncomfortably.

“General O’Neill is letting you go to Atlantis,” Sam pondered aloud. “I can’t believe this, he was the one who wanted to keep you here.”

“Well, I figured that he wanted that knowing they wanted you there. Now that you made it clear you’re not going to take command,” he huffed, still disagreeing with her choice. Hell, with all of her choices lately! “I guess he didn’t mind me going. He said they could use me there, with everything I know.”

“I see,” she glumly replied, slowly nodding her head in understanding. Daniel is leaving, he’s moving to another galaxy!“What about SG-1?”

“I don’t know, it’s none of our business anymore, is it?” He casually asked, shrugging. Seeing her cringe, he knew she still wasn’t sure if she had made the right decision. “So, you’ll be spending all your time in your labs?”

Feeling uncomfortable, she shifted on her feet. Hearing him state that it wasn’t their business anymore, had hurt somehow. The more this day had been coming, the more her doubts had risen again. Had she made the right decision? Could she work all day every day in her lab? These last few weeks she had been sure she could, but she hadn’t imagined Daniel wouldn’t be here every now and then, ready to distract her or have lunch with. “What about Teal’c?” She asked, confused that he could be so cold about this. Daniel of all people!

Surprise sounding through his voice, he turned to look her square in the eye. “You didn’t hear?”

“Hear what?”

“He left, Sam.”

“What, when… where?” She stammered, her mind racing a mile a minute.

“It’s why I called you,” he softly answered, not sure how to break this to her. “If you had called me back… I don’t know, you could’ve said goodbye.”

“Daniel, you’re scaring me!”

“No, no, no, it’s not like that,” he was quick to say. “He left for Dakara, feeling there was nothing here for him. He has Ishta, Rya’c and Kar’yn are married, Jack left for Homeworld Security and you stepped down as commander. We both figured it was time for us to move on as well. He wanted to say goodbye to you, but we couldn’t reach you and you weren’t at home,” he said, still upset that she hadn’t taken the time to say goodbye to Teal’c.

“Oh… well, he will be visiting right?”

“I don’t know, I believe Jack asked him to, but you know how that goes… different planets or galaxies, it tends to complicate friendships,” he smiled wistfully. “He’ll be coming by Atlantis, though.”

“Great,” she said in a resigned tone, feeling horrible for not having had a chance to say goodbye to her good friend. Everyone was moving on and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

Seeing her facial expression, Daniel gave her an appraising look before opening his mouth. “You were first, you know? You were the one who set this all in motion.”

“What?” She gasped; shocked that he would blame her. “I didn’t! The then-Colonel O’Neill was the one who left SG-1 first!”

“Oh, come on, Sam! He had to, if not for his health or sanity, it was because we needed someone we could trust to command the base and we all knew it!”

“Doesn’t mean he had to leave for Washington,” she blurted out, surprising both of them. “That’s not what I meant–” she started, but Daniel interrupted her.

“God, Sam, are you really that blind? He left for you – _because_ of you, can’t you see that? Or is it that you don’t _want_ to see it?” He yelled, running his hand through his hair in a frustrated manner. Seeing her shocked expression, he gave her a sad smile. “He told me about the conversation you two had, Teal’c knows as well.”

Dumbfounded, she just stared at him, never expecting the General to tell anyone. “What?”

“Don’t act like the wounded party here, Sam,” Daniel snorted. “He only told us because we were nagging at him because he wasn’t stopping you from marrying Pete.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” he huffed, sitting down across from her, his energy suddenly gone. “I just hope you’re happy, Sam. That it was all worth it…”

Swallowing, Sam looked at him, feeling a lump form in her throat. His words made her think. Was it all worth it? Her marriage to Pete was good, they had only been married for a little over a month now, but everything was going great. She had some difficulty adjusting to taking care of two young children when his kids came over, but eventually she could do that, she knew. Yet, it had cost her a lot, hadn’t it? The General, command of SG-1, Cassie… she didn’t even get to say goodbye to Teal’c and God only knew when she would see him again. Daniel, was she losing him too? “Daniel…”

Glaring at her, he dared her to say something to make it sound like nothing had changed. He knew it had, _she_ had changed! She was turning into someone he wasn’t sure he knew, Jack had been right all those weeks ago… perhaps he should’ve spoken up earlier? Then again, he knew Sam, she had set her mind to a normal life with Pete, and once she had a goal, she was determined to follow through. They had all made sure she knew they didn’t think Pete was the one for her, albeit not saying it out loud, but still… it had been crystal clear. However, if she kept insisting he made her happy, then who were they to deny her that? Daniel now knew that Jack had known this all along and that was why he had let Sam go, to make her own choice.

Not really knowing what she had actually wanted to say, Sam shut her mouth again. She had just wanted to object, tell him he was wrong. That it wasn’t all her fault… biting her lip, she looked the other way, not able to look him in the eye. She had never imagined that he, _Daniel,_ would ever look at her like that. As if he didn’t know her or perhaps didn’t _want_ to know her… she swallowed and cleared her throat. “Um… You said Cassie was staying with the General? Do you have her number for me?”

Frowning, Daniel looked at her. That had been the last thing he expected her to say… “No, I don’t. Just call Jack, Sam.”

“I can’t,” she said in a small voice. She couldn’t deal with the General right now, she needed to reflect the last few weeks and set her priorities straight. She needed to talk to Cassie, to apologize, set things right. Janet had entrusted her with the care of her daughter – who had always felt like her own – and she couldn’t mess this up. She owed Janet so much, she owed Cassie…

“Why not? He is still your boss, Sam,” Daniel replied, knowing that she had wanted to resign the USAF but that Jack, the JCS, and the President had denied it, probably for her best interest. “There will be a time you two will have to face each other.”

“Daniel, we agreed our friendship was over,” she shivered involuntarily, thinking about that night. “We can be professional towards one another, but acting casual isn’t possible anymore.”

“I think you’re overreacting, Sam. I’m sure he won’t hang up on you, or something like that,” Daniel mentioned.

“It’s not like that, Daniel. We made our choice and it’s for the best. Now, will you call him and ask for Cassie’s number?”

“No, I won’t. If you want it, you’ll call him yourself. You said it yourself; you’re a grown woman who can make her own choices. You can sure as hell pick up that phone and call him; we’re not in high school anymore, Sam!”

Taken aback by his sudden outburst, Sam automatically shrank back. “Fine, is he at work or in his house?”

Placing the last of his boxes on the trolley, Daniel turned back to face her. “Nooo,” he drawled out, giving her a sympathizing look. “He’s in Europe.”

“What, where?” Sam asked, not expecting the General anywhere else but in Washington DC.

“Yeah, he gave me a number where I could reach him,” he replied, fumbling in his pockets for his cell phone. Finding Jack’s temporary number, he wrote it down and left it on the table for Sam. “Call him, tell him I said hi. I’ll be leaving tonight, hopefully you’ll be there to say goodbye.”

Unable to move or speak, Sam just sat there, staring at Daniel’s retreating back as he walked out of his lab to who knew where. When she finally got out of her daze Daniel was long gone, and she reached out to grab the piece of paper.

* * *

 

Finishing the e-mail to her DC branch, Ilse pressed ‘send’ and was about to close her laptop, when the phone on her desk started ringing. Leaning forwards, she picked up the receiver with one hand, while closing her laptop with the other. A quick glance at the clock assured her it was still morning and she wondered who it could be.

“Goedemorgen,” she answered, trying to recognize the caller ID.

_“Hello? I’m looking for General O’Neill?”_

“He isn’t available for the moment,” Ilse replied, thinking of Jack, who was still in the hospital because the twins would be released today and he had gone to sign the forms and pick them up.

_“Oh… well, I guess I’ll try his cell phone, thank you.”_

“His cell phone is turned off,” she automatically retorted, knowing Jack always turned it off before entering the hospital, convinced it would interfere with medical equipment. “Can I take a message?” Ilse asked, already reaching for a notepad and a pen.

_“Er… just tell him that Colonel Carter called to ask for Cassandra’s new phone number.”_

Ah, that’s why the voice sounded so familiar! “Colonel Carter? Shouldn’t it be Shanahan or Carter-Shanahan by now?” Ilse couldn’t help the little jab at the other woman’s expense, knowing how much her marrying that _cop_ had hurt Jack.

 _“I’m keeping my maiden name for work,_ ” even with 8,000 kilometers in between them, the gritting of teeth came through loud and clear.

“Well, that’s good to know,” Ilse said sweetly. “I can get Cassie for you, if you want?”

_“What?”_

“She’s right here,” she replied, walking out of her study, crossing the living room and padded through the corridors until she reached the room where Cassie was making last-minute preparations for the twins. “Cassie? There’s a phone call for you,” she told the girl, holding her hand over the receiver.

Getting up, Cassie smiled at her. “How does it look?”

“Excellent,” Ilse gave her an approving smile; Cassie had done a lot of things in the short time Ilse had been in her study and the room looked almost complete. She held out the phone for her and gave her a questioning look.

“Who is it?”

“Just answer it,” Ilse said, pressing the receiver in her hand, before walking away.

“Hello?” Cassie asked warily, having a good idea about who it could be and unsure if she wanted to talk to her…

_“Cassie?”_

“Hey Sam…”

 


	38. Abroad

Glad she finally had gotten a hold of Cassie; Sam relaxed a bit and sat down on the couch. Looking out of the window, all she could see was darkness, which wasn’t strange as it had taken her all day to work up the nerve to call the number Daniel had left her. She had said goodbye to Daniel earlier and had watched him go through the ’gate, ready for his next adventure in Atlantis. She couldn’t help wonder when she would see him again… Now, she was just exhausted, having left the mountain a little after 2200 hours after a busy first day back, catching up, and she’d only eaten dinner half an hour ago. Stretching, she could feel her tense muscles and it made her yearn for a long bath.

“Cassie, are you all right?”

_“Yeah… I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”_

Sam automatically frowned at the receiver, not realizing Cassie couldn’t see her. “Well, I tried calling you the last few days and you didn’t answer, so I was worried, not having heard anything from you.”

_“I told you before you left, that I would be with Jack. It’s not like he would let anything happen to me, you know.”_

Hearing the huffing tone, Sam cringed. “Of course not, not on purpose, at least. Still, I was worried.”

_“Didn’t I explain I wouldn’t be back there if you came back?”_

“You did,” she responded, slightly hurt by the casual tone of Cassandra. “I just didn’t expect you to _not_ answer my phone calls.”

_“I have a new number now.”_

“So I heard, was it too hard for you to tell me?”

_“You were on your honeymoon; it would’ve been foolish to disturb you just to tell you I temporarily have a new number…”_

“Voicemail?” Sam asked, growing impatient with Cassie’s petulant tone…

_“Daniel told me how wonderful that was working for him, so I didn’t bother.”_

Bringing her free hand to her forehead, Sam closed her eyes, embarrassed. “I’m sorry–”

 _“Please tell me you at least said goodbye to_ Daniel _?”_

Sighing, she leaned back and propped her feet under her. “Yes, yes I did, I went back to work today and immediately visited him”

 _“Good, it would’ve been too bad if you were to miss his departure_ too _or didn’t Daniel tell you about Teal’c?”_

If she had been wondering how Cassie had been spending her days the last few weeks, the sarcastic remarks surely gave it away… “He did,” Sam sadly stated. “I feel terrible for not being able to say goodbye to him.”

 _“As you should,”_ Cassie simply stated.

* * *

 

“Cassandra!”

Cassie almost jumped, startled by the admonishing tone. She turned around and saw Ilse scowling at her. “What, Ilse?” She asked, holding her hand over the mouthpiece of the receiver.

“I think she got the message already; you’re not happy with her behavior… no need to talk her into a depression,” Ilse softly explained, while walking over Nathan’s crib with a little mattress in her arms.

Feeling slightly guilty, Cassie sighed and put the receiver back to her ear. “Sam?”

_“Yeah?”_

“I’m sorry, I was a bit harsh,” she apologized. Swallowing, she continued. “How was your honeymoon?”

_“It was really great.”_

 A mumbled “Good for you” was all she could muster, as she watched Ilse make the bed.

_“Cassie, when are you coming back?”_

“Um… I don’t know yet, Sam, it kind of depends on Jack and–”

 _“Look, I understand you want to stay with the General doing God knows what in Europe, but college is starting in two weeks and_ – _”_

“I know, and I’ll be there, I promise,” she truthfully replied. “It’s just that,” she looked around and noticed that Ilse had left the room so she could have some privacy. “Jack’s been going through a rough time…”

_“Cassie, you don’t have to tell me… Daniel, eh… he ‘explained’ some things to me and if you feel you need to be there with the General, then I understand. I just don’t want you to miss out on your new year, because catching up will probably be difficult.”_

“I won’t, we were thinking of going back sometime next week. Look, Sam, you should know that Jack–”

 _“Don’t, just don’t,_ ” Cassie could hear her exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes, before Sam continued. “ _I thought I told you guys to just drop it, okay?”_

“But Sam, I really think you should know!” she stomped her foot to emphasize her words as she heard some noise coming from the hallway.

Hearing Ilse walk by the door, Cassie turned around. “Cassie, Jack is back!” Ilse sounded excited in the corridor, which made her grin; he must have the twins with him!

* * *

 

Pouring herself a wine, Sam waited for Cassie to respond and overheard Ilse scolding her for being rude to Sam. Great, just what she needed; the General’s girlfriend defending her and admonishing Cassie for talking back, she thought, taking a sip of wine. She knew that Cassie had a point, but Ilse was right – not that she would ever admit that to anyone. Already feeling horrible about missing Teal’c’s farewell, not to mention Daniel leaving and coming back from her honeymoon with everyone mad at her, she didn’t need Cassie to rub it in for her. It just stung that, of all people, it was _his girlfriend_ being so sympathetic all of a sudden, especially after that sly dig about her name earlier. She had thought the voice sounded vaguely familiar and was almost certain it had been Ilse, and Cassie confirmed that suspicion as she exclaimed her name.

Not wanting to go into detail about her argument with Daniel, she thought about her choice of words… ‘Explained’, yes, he’d explained to her that Cassie was in Europe with the General _…_ Still, she wanted to make sure Cassie would be back in time for the new academic year as med school was hard enough without having to catch up. It was good to hear that she would be coming back next week, but that didn’t mean she had to listen to her stories about the General. Their friendship was long gone; she didn’t want to know about his new life with a woman abroad. She’d made it pretty clear at the wedding reception that she didn’t want the guys – or Cassie – to talk to her about the General and his life, there was a reason she’d broken up their relationship after all. Not that anyone needed to know the _real_ reason behind her decision, especially not the General himself.

She could hear Ilse mentioning the General’s return and by the silence on the line, Sam assumed that Cassie was contemplating what to do; greet him or finish their conversation. Making the decision for her, Sam took a last sip, emptying her glass. “Cassie? I just called to see how you were doing and because I wanted to get your number and hear your voice,” she spoke softly.

 _“That’s okay, Sam. Look, Jack just came back with_ – _”_

“I understand, you have to go,” Sam sighed, sitting back on the couch. “Just call me when you get here or if you just want to talk, okay?”

_“Damn, why won’t you let me explain, Sam!”_

“Like I said before, our friendship is over Cassie. I have a new life now, with Pete. The General understands that, which is why we agreed to leave the other alone. Now, will you give me your number?”

 _“Fine, if that’s the way you want to live your life, don’t come complaining to me in the end,_ Cassie huffed. “ _Besides, I don’t think it’s my place to explain everything and with the way you’re acting, I can understand Jack for not even bothering.”_

For a moment, Sam was speechless. They were finally getting along again and then the subject of Jack O’Neill comes in the picture and messes everything up! As Cassie was stating her new number, Sam nodded to no one in particular, making sure to write it down.

_“But if I were you, I’d call me here, Ilse says that’s cheaper. If I want to contact you, I’ll use this number as well, since it’s expensive to call abroad with a cell phone and Ilse said I could use her office phone.”_

Of course she did, thought Sam with clenched jaw. “Okay,” was all she said however, reciting the two numbers before saying goodbye. _Time to go to bed,_ she mused, as she walked upstairs to the bedroom that Pete was already occupying.

* * *

 

“Hey,” was all Ilse said as she opened the door for Jack, who was holding two maxi cosis, one in each hand. Stepping aside, she opened the door for him and followed him to the living room.

Grinning from ear to ear, Jack put down the babies and turned to her. “Hey,” he realized he was still smirking from the way she looked at him; shining eyes and held back smile showing off her dimples.

“What did the neonatologist say?” she asked, leaning down so Maddy could grab her finger in her little fist. They were so much smaller than Milou had ever been…

Jack gently readjusted the hem of the bunting that encased Nathan, his small, frail body making it look oversized. Unlike his twin, the little boy was still sound asleep and it didn’t look like he was about to wake up. “Their weight gain was on schedule, their motor reflexes are better than expected and so far there are no signs of cysts in the brain, which is a good thing. Blood work was good, liver and kidney function were well within the norm, and they seemed to be responding properly to stimuli,” he summed up, before taking off his black leather jacket.

“Excellent,” she replied, carefully picking Maddy up to cuddle her a bit. Ilse was almost afraid that she would break the little girl in two, but knew she was tougher than she looked. Hell, they wouldn’t have survived if they weren’t tough! She locked gazes with Maddy’s blue eyes and her free hand stroked her soft, brown wisps. “She doesn’t look anything like Lily, did you realize that?”

Peeking over her shoulder, Jack smiled. “Yes she does, she has her – and your – nose, and I believe Lily had the same cheeks and smile as a baby,” he responded, delving into twenty-year-old memories.

“Do I hear reasons to look up some old pictures?” Cassie squeaked, walking into the room with a big smile, after having ended her conversation with Sam.

“God, please no,” Jack murmured, _not_ looking forward to see old pictures of himself while visiting his sister.

Gently rocking Maddy, Ilse walked over to Cassie to show the baby to her and she gave her a wicked grin. “I must agree with Cassie, Jack.”

“Oh, for crying out loud, you already showed her pictures the other day,” he sighed, dragging his hand through his hair.

“She’s so tiny,” Cassie gasped as she gently stroked Maddy’s soft cheek and held her gaze. “She’s got big eyes.”

“Again, Lily’s I’m telling you,” Jack said as he moved some of the baby items he had brought from the hospital to the baby room.

“Do you want to hold her?” Ilse asked Cassie, motioning the baby towards her.

Holding up her hands in a defensive gesture, Cassandra backed away. “Oh, no, I don’t want to drop her or anything. Besides, I have no experience with children and her condition is already slightly complicated.”

“C’mere,” Ilse beckoned her with a head gesture. “Don’t be silly, in a way she’s your cousin or even sister now that Jack has adopted them. You’re going to have to pick her up eventually, might as well get it over with.”

Glancing at Ilse and the infant in her arms, she cautiously walked towards them. “Are you sure?”

“Of course,” she smiled, giving Cassie instructions on how to hold the baby and passed her over to the younger woman’s arms.

“How are my favorite ladies doing?” Jack asked, walking back into the living room.

Grinning, Ilse quickly grabbed her photo camera to get a picture of Cassie holding Maddy. “Looks like your ‘collection’ of favorite women just keeps growing, huh,” she joked.

“Don’t worry,” Jack grinned as he hooked an arm around her waist, “I’ll never throw you out.”

“Wow, I’m honored,” she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him, before taking a few pictures.

“She’s moving, did I do something wrong?”

Padding around her, Jack stopped at her side and threw his arm around Cassie’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, she’s just tired… look, she’s yawning. Bed time, I think.”

Tracing the features in the small face with her finger, Cassie smiled at her ‘sister.’ Tilting her head, she noticed Ilse’s approving expression and she chuckled. “Guess you were right; it’s not that hard to hold a baby,” she softly spoke, as Maddy’s eyes started to close. Seeing Jack signaling her to follow him, she took Maddy with her to the baby room.

“You two really finished up here while I was gone,” Jack said, glancing around appreciatively. “You want to put her in her crib?”

Nodding, Cassie followed his instructions to the letter, making sure she didn’t screw up, just as Ilse walked in holding the maxi cosi with Nathan in it.

“Where’s Milou?” Jack asked, as he took Nathan from her and gently put him in his crib without waking the boy.

Putting down the seat, Ilse looked up. “I moved her crib to my room; I don’t want her to wake up the twins or, more likely, the other way around. She just settled in her routine, I can’t have them screw that up,” seeing he was about to object, she stopped him. “No, I want to take care of her. You’re moving back to DC next week, then you’ll have all the time in the world to get up at night taking care of those three.”

Jack grunted something incoherently, while ushering everyone out of the room after securing the baby intercom. “It’s almost time for Milou to wake up, isn’t it?” He asked, walking over to Ilse’s room to see two dark brown eyes looking at him. Jack smiled, picking up the little girl that was now his adopted daughter. “Are you hungry?”

* * *

 

“Wow, you were really handsome, Jack,” Cassie giggled, looking through some old photo albums Ilse had found her.

“Please,” Jack groaned, “I don’t even want to know which album you gave her,” he told Ilse, who was on the floor playing with Milou and some of her toys.

Hiding one of Milou’s toys in an obvious way, she asked Milou to help her look for it. Hearing Jack’s remark, Ilse absentmindedly looked up. “What?”

“That album she’s been skimming through.”

“Oh, it’s one of Lily’s it was in the box labeled with _Family Stuff_ , by the looks of it, I’d say it’s one from when she was seven or eight.”

“You can tell that by the cover?” Jack asked in a disbelieving voice.

Shrugging, she watched as Milou triumphantly showed her the toy and she smiled and praised the girl. “Well, there is the little line that states the date,” she smirked.

“Of course there is,” Jack sighed, looking back at his laptop.

“Oh, this is one of the ones you showed me earlier,” Cassie told Ilse, quickly flashing the picture.

“Whoa, what’s that doing there,” Jack exclaimed, reaching out to grab the album. “Ilse, why is there a half naked picture of me in here?”

“I have no idea, must have been taken at a pool party,” she replied in an oh so innocent voice.

Jack snorted at her answer. “Why am I the only one in it?”

Cassie giggled again, showing him a few more of a younger version of himself surrounded by some teenagers and some young women. “Look, there are more!”

“Give me that!”

“No,” Cassie shook her head, keeping the book out of his reach. “It’s obvious someone really wanted some pictures of you, Jack.”

“I was bored and a fifteen year old bottle of hormones, okay?” Ilse groaned, rolling her eyes.

“You took these?” Seeing her nod an affirmative, Jack continued. “And you decided to put them in the photo album of your innocent little sister?”

“Trust me,” Ilse retorted, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. “You don’t want to know where the copies ended up, those pictures were quite popular.”

Mumbling something incoherently, Jack returned his attention to his laptop and hit some of the keys in a frustrated manner.

“You know, I told you you could use my study,” Ilse said, getting up and gently extricating the poor laptop from his violent hands. “It’s much safer for everyone involved,” she continued in a placating tone.

Rolling his eyes, Jack let out an exasperated sigh. “I know, that damn thing is stuck.”

“I’ll take a look at it after I’m finished,” Cassie mumbled absentminded.

“Yes, because what could be more important than my super secret work? Some old photographs perhaps?”

“I resent that,” Cassie responded, looking up at him. “I’m showing an interest in your familial background, you should be happy.”

“Whatever,” he replied, stretching his legs, before slipping to the floor and scooting over to Milou.

Ilse refilled their drinks and as she came back, she watched Jack playing with Milou on the carpet, while Cassie was observing them. They smiled at each other, enjoying seeing Jack so relaxed and playful with the little girl, forgetting the troubles of the world, or even universes.

Her train of thought made her think and as she placed her glass on the table, Ilse cocked her head to the side. “When are you going back, Jack? I mean, I’m sure George wants to get back to being retired.”

Turning his head towards her, he pulled Milou in his lap and leaned back against the couch. “Well, I called him this morning on my way to the hospital and he said he didn’t mind working a bit again, since he only has to do a quarter of the work he used to. Especially with me having worked here in Europe the last month, meeting with the IOA members and other politicians,” he grimaced at the word and grabbed his glass of water to take a sip. “So, I was thinking of going back early next week, to give Cassie some time to adjust again and eventually move back to her dorm, while I have a free pair of hands to help me,” he smirked at Cassandra. “That way, Hammond can finish at the end of the month, while I work at home having more time to spend with the children. Did you know he even offered to babysit once in a while?”

“No, I didn’t,” Ilse chuckled, trying to think of George Hammond amidst the three young babies. “I take it you told him then?”

Nodding, Jack got up with Milou clinging to his shirt. “Yeah, I already informed him of a family emergency about a month ago and after Lily’s funeral I had a video conference with him and the President and I explained the entire situation. They were quite supportive, actually.”

Hearing the surprise in his voice, Ilse frowned. “Of course they were, because you’re a great dad. If anyone deserves another chance, it’s you.”

“She’s right Jack, you just have to look at you and Milou to know that’s true,” Cassie confirmed, bobbing her head in the way only teenagers can.

At the same time, Milou started jabbering as if to add her opinion, her chubby hands moving to his collar. He grabbed her hands and pressed a kiss on them, making her look at him with a surprised expression on her cute face. Jack tickled her tummy, eliciting a high giggle from her, making him smile in turn.

“It’s about time for me to take her,” Ilse mentioned, outstretching her arms to take the girl from him.

Confused, Jack looked at her. “Where?”

“I told you about the visit to the, um… ‘consultatiebureau,,” Ilse stated. Seeing his blank face, she explained. “A health centre, for babies to be checked out regularly? She’s nine months old now and needs her hearing to be tested.”

“She’s talking about infant welfare centers,” Cassie elaborated, nodding at Ilse’s explanation.

“There is nothing wrong with her hearing, she hears just fine,” Jack protested.

Rolling her eyes, Ilse pulled Milou out of his arms and placed her on the floor to put on her jacket. “It’s just a test, Jack, it’s not like they’re going to experiment on her or something.”

“They’d better not,” he grunted. “How are you taking her?” He asked, seeing her wrap the girl up as if it were freezing cold.

“On my bike, why?”

“Are you insane, you’re not taking an infant on your bike!” Jack exclaimed.

“Jeez, Jack, relax, I was talking about my bicycle, not my motor cycle.”

“Still, it’s way too dangerous.”

“No, it’s not. It’s actually really good stimulation for them,” Ilse replied, carrying on with her prepping. “I have a child seat and she’s old enough, besides, this isn’t the first time.”

“A seat?”

“Yes, Jack, a seat on the handlebar,” she rolled her eyes, putting on her own coat.

Swallowing, Jack gave her an askant look. “You’re sure it’s safe?”

“Perfectly, or else I wouldn’t do it. The doctor even recommends it, because kids really like it.”

“Fine,” he relented, trusting her. “Just be careful,” he leaned down to press a kiss on Milou’s crown.

“Always,” Ilse responded, before saying her goodbyes to Cassie and walking out the door with her bag.

Closing the photo album, Cassie looked at him. “It’s going to be hard for you to raise them without her.”

Surprised, Jack gave her an appraising look. “So…?”

“I’m just saying,” Cassie innocently retorted.

“Of course you are,” he sarcastically replied. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing she’ll be coming to DC in three weeks, huh?”

“Yeah, I think it is,” Cassandra mused aloud. “You could use the help and she’s really good with them, besides, they’re her family too.”

“Always will be,” Jack agreed nodding. His head snapped up as he heard Nathan cry over the intercom and he moved into action, trying to get him before he woke up his sister. “I’m just glad she’s able to do most of her work out of her DC branch,” he said, before entering the corridor.

Cassie nodded, picking up the photo albums she had gone through. They – Jack and Ilse – had been right; the twins had many features from their mother, as did Milou. The elaborate albums had given her a peek at a part of Jack’s life he always kept hidden and it had amused her to see pictures from him when he was younger. There had even been a few of Sara and some of Charlie – something she hadn’t expected. Apart from all that, it gave her a better picture of who Lily was. Sure, they’d met, but the woman had been dying and didn’t look her best… no these pictures were worth more than a thousand words.

 


	39. Packing

**  
**

“So, should I be worried?” Jack asked, joining her by the large window overlooking the water.

Clutching her tea, Ilse glanced sideward’s with a puzzled expression. “About?”

“You.”

“Me?” She asked, surprise sounding through her voice.

Cocking his head, he looked at her. “Yes, you… a picture of a younger version of me half naked on your computer, really? Not to mention that you showed it to Cassandra,” he smirked.

Chuckling, she ducked her head. “Not to worry, I’m not an obsessed woman, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Too bad,” he joked, prodding her side.

Ilse swatted his hand away, careful not to spill her tea and turned to him. “My mother bought this computer scanner? To scan in negatives, to prevent the loss of some old pictures of hers and she asked me to test it for her and show her how to use it. She just handed me a box with negatives, including that one of yours,” she grinned.

“Good to know,” he said, rocking on his feet. Taking a sip of his coffee he kept staring out of the window. “It’s beautiful out here,” he broke the silence after a few minutes.

“Yeah, I love this view,” she agreed, nodding her head. Turning to him, she saw the moonlight dancing on his face. “Are the kids asleep?”

Nodding an affirmative, Jack turned to bring his cup back to the kitchen. “Yeah, all of them, even Cassie.”

“Did you start packing already?” Ilse asked, filling up the dishwasher after padding after him.

“My passport came by mail this afternoon, when you were out grocery shopping. Good thing Hammond had a spare key to my house,” Jack smirked, stretching his lean frame. The evening Ilse had called him, he’d been sitting in a bar with Carter and _Prometheus_ had beamed him up and down. He hadn’t even _thought_ about his passport, until Ilse mentioned that the babies would need one before being able to go back to the States with him. He’d called Hammond, who was kind enough to send it to him. He could hardly ask _Prometheus_ to beam up him, Cassie, and the kids. Besides, that would mean _everyone_ would know, not giving him the chance to explain the situation to his friends. Especially not now that Daniel was in another galaxy, Teal’c was on Dakara and he and Carter weren’t on speaking terms anymore… “I’ve packed up some of the baby stuff and I’ll do mine tomorrow.”

“I have to go to the town hall in the morning, to pick up the passports for the children,” Ilse responded, turning on the dishwasher. “I’d suggest you’d go, but since you don’t even know where the town hall is…”

“Let alone how to get there, right?”

“Indeed,” she smiled. “If you want, I could show you, you can use my mountain bike.”

“For crying out loud, I’m not going out on a bike with all those crazy people!” Jack exclaimed, raised eyebrows.

Shrugging, she looked at him. “Didn’t you tell me you were biking two years ago?”

“That’s different,” he bashfully admitted. “That was through the corridors of the SGC…”

“Oh, you’re right, that’s not crazy at all,” she teased him.

Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “No, it was different because I was a Colonel and people actually had to get out of the way for me… out there? I’d be run over within minutes.”

“Of course not, I use my bike daily and I’m still alive.”

“Because you are one of those crazy people.”

“I resent that,” she huffed undignified.

“Sorry,” he smirked, not apologizing at all. “I think I’ll go get some sleep.”

“Welterusten,” Ilse waved over her shoulder, wishing him a good night before turning the corridor to her own bedroom.

 

* * *

 

 

“Is Ilse back yet?” Cassie asked, walking into the open kitchen while combing her hair.

Swirling on his feet, Jack looked at her, while rocking Nathan in his arms, feeding him a bottle. “No, she called to tell me she ran into a friend of hers and went out for lunch. So, it’s just you and me and the babies.”

“Has Maddy had her bottle?” She asked, looking around only to see the little girl in her maxi cosi on the table. This past week and a half, she’d really become attached to her new family members – including Ilse – and she’d found that she really liked babies, especially Maddy. She knew it was wrong to have a favorite, but she couldn’t help it; Maddy was so cute with her brown reddish hair and blue eyes… Cassie wondered if she would keep the eye color, since Nathan had brown eyes already, as did Milou from birth.

Shaking his head, Jack gestured towards the filled bottle waiting on the counter. “Go ahead,” he smirked, happy that Cassie seemed to enjoy helping out with the children. He wasn’t afraid to admit he needed help. Hell, he’d become a father of three infants overnight! He watched as Cassie picked up Maddy in an already routine move, went over to the counter to test the temperature before feeding her the bottle. As if on purpose, Milou started to cry in her crib wanting to get out from her nap. Quickly finishing Nathan’s bottle he placed the boy back in his seat before going over to Milou to pick her up. She immediately clung to his shirt and snuggled even closer, he hugged her back and spoke in a soothing tone to her. He was still marveling from the ease with which she had adjusted to her new life. He’d been a father before, but that had been years ago and he felt like he needed a refresh course, yet she had accepted him from the start and hardly protested if he was doing something wrong or too slow. Jack nuzzled her soft, blond, baby hairs while carrying her over to the dresser, ready to change her diaper.

“Jack?”

He called back to Cassie, asking what was wrong, as he quickly changed the diaper and picked out a new onesie for Milou. “You like this one?”

“I don’t think she’s ready to choose her own clothes yet, Jack,” Cassie teased from the doorway, having walked over to the room with Maddy still in her arms. “What do you want for lunch?”

“Just a sandwich will do,” he mumbled, packing up the dirty, smelly diaper.

“Turkey?”

“Since it’s probably my last chance, I’ll take one with ham and cheese.”

* * *

 

“Pete?” Sam questioned as she felt his hand caressing her abdomen. When he didn’t answer, she looked up from the files and glanced over her shoulder, seeing him smile a lazy smile.

“Hey babe,” he smiled smugly before pressing a kiss on her shoulder. He pulled up the hem of her nightgown, stroking her thigh with his hand.

“Pete,” Sam groaned, batting his hand away. “Not now, I’m busy.”

“You know, all work and no play makes Sam a–”

“Pete,” she protested, pushing him gently away. “I really have to finish this; McKay is coming over from Atlantis to work on this with me. I have to be prepared, I don’t have time for this,” she sighed.

“This?” Pete huffed, slightly hurt. “Sam, please…”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I have to do this first,” she waved the file in front of him, before focusing back on the small black letters.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Pete rolled on his back. “Fine, it’s just been three days already. We’re supposed to be newlyweds, Sam.”

“I told you I had a lot of work to do this weekend,” she turned to him. “I’m already sleep-deprived, I look like crap and I’m sure I’ll get some nice comments about my appearance from McKay. I don’t want to give him another reason to call me a ‘dumb blonde,’ again.”

“You’re not a dumb blonde,” Pete whispered as he watched her return her attention to her paperwork. He heard a few cracks of static, before the crying of his son came through loud and clear. Pete groaned, silencing the intercom and getting up to take a look at his son.

Sam watched him get up and leave and she sighed again. Rubbing her tired eyes, she scribbled a few notes on the paper before stashing them away. By the time Pete came back, she had crawled under the covers with her nightlight turned off.

“All done?” He asked, slipping under the covers as well, scooting over to her.

“Yeah, you?”

He nuzzled her neck, before looking at her. “Tim lost his pacifier, I also checked on Lola and she’s fast asleep,” he replied, referring to his children that were staying over for the weekend. His hand crept up her leg again and he was surprised as she swatted it away – again. “Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s just- I- I don’t think I can do it, while they…” Sam started, gesturing towards the wall with her hand.

Frowning, he forced her to look at him. “Are you saying you can’t have sex knowing the children are asleep down the hall?”

Smiling sheepishly, Sam nodded shyly. “It’s just weird….”

“Okay… look Sam, I’m trying to be understanding here but we can’t keep doing this. Or better yet, not doing this. The kids are here every other weekend, are you saying you don’t want to have sex every other weekend?”

“I don’t know, it’s just… what if they wake up while we’re in the middle?”

“What if we have children of our own? As soon as the first one is born, we’re not having sex anymore? Because that one’s for keeps, you know. That won’t be every other weekend…”

“Just give me some time to get used to the idea, okay?” Sam huffed, before turning over, deciding it was time to get some sleep. “I really am too tired.”

* * *

 

“I’m back,” Ilse mentioned as she walked back into her apartment. Looking around while hanging up her coat, she was surprised to see no one was in the living room. Padding through the corridors, she smiled as she overheard Cassie telling a fairytale and coming closer, she saw Jack in the corner of the baby room, packing up the last things.  “Hey,” she softly greeted, not wanting to interrupt Cassandra while entertaining a sleepy Maddy.

“I’m almost done,” Jack whispered, grabbing a few diapers for the diaper bags, before leaning down to pick up Milou.

It was only then that Ilse noticed Milou had been sitting on the floor in front of Cassie, while she had been holding Maddy. Looking over to his crib, she saw Nathan was already sound asleep. On her toes, she walked over and stroked his soft hair, before pressing a kiss on his forehead. He had been sleeping a lot lately, but the doctors had assured them he was as healthy as was possible for him and moving abroad wouldn’t put him in any danger. Turning, she saw Jack standing in the doorway, motioning for her to follow him, so she did. One last glance at Cassie and Maddy made her smile and she quickly rounded the corner.

“Did you get the passports?” Jack asked, shifting Milou in his arms until she was more comfortable.

Nodding, she grabbed her purse and pulled them out before handing them over. “Here they are, one for each. We were lucky that we could have them issued with priority…”

“Yeah,” he agreed, holding them in his hands. Looking around, he noticed his briefcase near the couch and walked over, throwing the documents on the coffee table. “How was lunch?”

“It was good,” she hesitantly started. “Well, it was kind of sad, actually,” she continued after getting his attention. “Emma was asking about Lily and eventually that was all we talked about and in a way it was comforting, but it was also quite emotionally.”

“I’m sorry,” he sympathized. “C’mere,” he stretched out his free arm while the other tightened around Milou, securing her.

Shyly, Ilse stepped in his arm, hugging him and Milou. The little girl immediately grabbed a lock of her long hair with her clammy hands and it made her smile, despite the fact she actually had a strong grip. Her own arms tried to encircle Jack and Milou, but despite the small body, she actually took in a lot of space, so Ilse just held one arm around Jack and the other around Milou. As always, Jack’s hugs had a soothing, calming effect on her and it made her feel safe.

Hearing the small sigh, he tightened his grip around Ilse and Jack softly pressed a kiss on her crown. “It’s okay, you’re allowed to be upset, you know.”

Relinquishing her hold on him, she leaned back, a sad smile gracing her features. “I know, it’s just so strange. One day she was living her life and the next… the kids make me smile, they keep me busy, you and Cassie keep me busy. I feel like I have hardly mourned the loss of my sister, which in turn makes me feel like a horrible person.”

“You’re not a horrible person. _Hell_ , you helped her through her disease, you flew halfway around the world to keep me updated instead of just calling, and eventually you’re here, helping me raise her beautiful children. You agreed to become their legal guardian in case something happens to me, that’s not something a horrible person would do.”

Ilse gave Milou a peck on the cheek, before turning away. “I guess you’re right, everything just happened so fast in the end. The babies were born, Lily died, she had already arranged the funeral and her last will and all of a sudden we were taking care of her kids.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, softly rocking Milou, more to relax himself than for her benefit, but the girl didn’t seem to mind. Changing the subject, he nodded towards Cassie’s suitcase near the door. “We’re almost done packing, just a few last minute baby things. Mine and Cassie’s things are all packed up already.”

“Good, what about Lily’s things?” Ilse gently inquired; referring to the things she had left him or the children.

Sitting down, Jack shrugged. “I’m not sure; I’d like most of them in Washington, Colorado or the cabin, just to keep them close. Besides, they’re still at her house, right? She suggested I’d sell it, but I’m not sure. What’s the market like these days?”

“Sell it?” Ilse exclaimed, stunned.

“Yes?” He cautiously asked, somehow feeling as he was walking on thin ice.

“You can’t sell her house!”

“Look, Ilse, I know it’s–”

Shaking her head and holding up her hands, she interrupted him. “No, it’s not like that. She loved that place, _I_ love that place, I can’t believe she told you to sell it.”

Readjusting the hemline of Milou’s little dress, Jack fidgeted. “Perhaps she didn’t want me to feel obligated to keep it?”

“Well, she sure as hell left you more than enough money to keep it,” Ilse huffed. Realizing what that sounded like, she hastily corrected herself. “Not that I’m saying you shouldn’t get the money, you should. You all of a sudden have three kids to look after, luckily, you were already aware of this before buying your new house… it’s just that her house is surrounded by forests and pastures, it’s where Mom’s family comes from. Where I was born, where I grew up the first few years of my life and where Mom still lives. It is only an hour or an hour and a half from here. It would be the perfect place for a vacation,” she tried, finding it really hard to have to part with the house Lily had made her home.

“Fine, I’ll keep it for now,” Jack said, as if he was talking about the wrong brand of liquid soap, instead of an expensive house. As Milou was yawning, he nodded to her. “She’s getting quite sleepy, maybe I should let her get some rest before we leave.”

“Sure thing, her crib is still in my room,” Ilse agreed. They had agreed that she would keep the essentials in this apartment for the times Jack and the kids would come visiting, while he would take all the stuff back to Washington. Ilse knew he already had bought some things after Lily’s condition had worsened, and when their little sister asked him to face the outcome of her battle against the disease, he had succumbed to her encouragements to prepare himself for the worse. 

Jack got up to put the girl to bed and when he came back, Cassie and Ilse were talking animatedly about something. A small smile was gracing his features; he had never expected to be part of a real family anymore after Charlie died, then Cassie came along and he became her substitute-father and now, even though he had lost his little sister he had gained three small children who depended on him to care for them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said, the story originally has 80 chapters but I've decided to upload it in two parts; this was the first half and the story will continue in the second fic.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have a beta, so any mistakes are my own. I love feedback and/or constructive criticism or just a comment to let me know why you (don't) like it or if anything is bothering you about my story.
> 
> This fic (in its entirety) has been given the 2011 GateFic Award in the SG-1 Het Fic: Sam/Jack Drama category!
> 
> Disclaimer: see profile


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